For Her Hand
by Yollm
Summary: When Elsa's advisors suggest she begin looking for a husband, it is decided that a swordsmanship tournament will be held to make the process of finding suitors easier. Less-than-pleased, Anna decides to join the tournament herself in disguise, to fight to prove the realness of the strange feelings budding in her heart. Elsanna.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Cover image by Julais on Deviantart.

* * *

What had possessed her to go through with this? Had some madness overwhelmed her mind, or was it a simple case of peer pressure? Her advisors had certainly favored the idea; therefore she would blame them for her current predicament.

Oh, certainly, it was not all unpleasant. The sky was clear, the birds were singing, and the festive atmosphere was intoxicating. Boats belonging to many, many kingdoms were crammed into Arendelle's harbor. All of her citizens were happy, but she was uneasy. Perched on her throne Elsa, Queen of Arendelle, stared into the overly-pleased faces of her advisors. Exhaling slowly, she dismissed them with a smooth gesture, her voice soft, through it carried through the mostly-empty hall of her throne-room.

"Tell them I will be out shortly."

* * *

Preparations for this fiasco had begun two months ago. It was funny how a simple conversation could turn into an event. A simple discussion during a dinnertime meeting had gotten out of hand faster than the queen could rein it back in. It had been herself, Anna, and three of her advisors. They had simply been discussing matters of trade, matters that she could easily handle now without so much as batting an eye. Or, more accurate, getting a cramp in her wrist. It had spiraled out of control from there.

".. Now, Queen Elsa, next is.. ah," One of the counselors, a portly man with a fantastic moustache, had started it all, frowning as he looked down at the paper before him. "The Southern Isles."

Elsa had looked up sharply at that, and Anna proceeded to start coughing on her mouthful of food. Elsa had noted with displeasure that she _needed to chew_, before she turned her icy gaze on the unfortunate man. Her hands clasped in front of her, Elsa's air of calm would have been convincing, had it not been for the touch of frost that crept from her hands and onto the mahogany table. Swallowing hard, the man continued, trying to ignore the looks he was getting from.. well, everyone. Anna looked almost horrified, now that she had stopped choking, and the other two advisors, a man and a woman, looked terrified for their compatriot's mental well-being.

"I know our relationship with them is tenuous as best.." He paused again, watching the Queen, who said nothing. Clearing his throat, he carried on once more, surprised by the lack of interruption. ".. but they have trade goods that Arendelle _needs_. We shouldn't allow a small suitor fiasco.."

"He tried to kill us!" That was Anna's voice, cutting the man up as the young Princess sat up in indignation. "That's not a _suitor fiasco_! And we shouldn't trade with them! Tell him, Elsa! … I mean uh, Queen Elsa. .. We're not going to, are we?"

"No," The Queen answered simply, placing her hands on the table as she looked to her sibling. The ice on the table had begun to fade away in small, sparkly flakes that disappeared into the very air. "I don't care how many tradable goods they want to offer us, after what _that man_ did."

The Queens's voice held barely-restrained fury, leaving the man who had brought up the issue cringing. The other aides seemed... reluctant, at the very least, to come to his aid, so he went silent. Good. They knew to not go against the Queen's authority. Sitting back in her chair, Elsa let her shoulders relax and a slow sigh escaped her lips, as if she was trying to release the very tension in her muscles through her breath. Anna had sat back down now, though she was still eyeing the fat advisor with a look of unhidden disdain. The girl had always been very bad at hiding her opinions of others; almost as bad as she was at asserting any sort of authority. She was silently thankful for her sister's support. Not that she had expected otherwise. Elsa hated Hans' stupid guts just as much as she did, so it was only logical that she would hate his family's stupid guts as well. Sure, it might be slightly petty but—no, no. It wasn't petty. He had tried to murder them both and steal the kingdom. That snake.

"Anna, it is already dead."

Her sister's gentle voice caused Anna to look up, then down at her plate, realizing with embarrassment that she had been taking her anger out on the steak. It was now filled with many, many, tiny fork holes that where steadily leaking juice onto the plate. Face reddening to her ears, she pouted as Elsa, who lifted her hand to hover before her mouth as she let out a bell-like giggle. Anna felt her face grow hotter, and she looked away, reaching up to push a lock of hair behind her ear. The nervous tick had stuck with her.

"Speaking of suitors, though," the female advisor suddenly piped up, making the two sisters, once again, look up sharply. "Queen Elsa, you really need to become more serious about them. You have been receiving marriage proposals since you were very young, and you've yet to even allow any of them to visit. Arendelle will need a heir."

Anna didn't like her. A snooty, hawk-nosed woman with her little glasses and her beady eyes. She was stabbing the steak again. Elsa reached over and placed her hand on top of her sister's to still the violent movements, though her eyes remained on the advisor's face. Anna huffed crossly, simply letting go of the fork and pulling her hand away, letting it rest on her lap alongside the other.

"I should think that I would be able to decide for myself who and when I will marry."

"Well, yes, but the other kingdoms are starting to talk-"

"Let them."

"And so are your own people."

The woman's final words gave Elsa pause. Her own people were already worrying about an heir. Certainly, she was of age, but she did not think that this topic would come up so soon. As worried as she had been about her powers before, she had almost hoped that her people gaining knowledge of them would make them simply worry and talk about that for the next few years. While it warmed her heart to know that the people of Arendelle had already accepted them enough to focus on other topics.. the fact that it was _this _issue in particular on the tongues of her people made her uneasy. The queen reached up and let her fingers slide across her bangs. Her hair was up once more, her more 'free' style typically left for periods of relaxation and privacy. Part of her wished to change the topic, but these were her advisers. They were here to advise.

"What do you suggest, then?"

Anna nearly spat her tea everywhere. Elsa was actually considering going through with this? What? _What? _She gave her sister a dismayed look, which she didn't seem to notice or refused to acknowledge. Nor did she notice the fact that Anna was now wildly gesticulating out of the corner of her vision. She'd explain her reasoning later. For now she kept her eyes locked on her three consultants, gaze slowly scanning them as she waited for them to pipe up. If they lacked any ideas, she'd simply dismiss the topic-

"What about a tournament?"

"I'm sorry?"

Elsa blinked, looking over towards her third advisor. He was the youngest of the tree, a handsome man a few years older than Elsa herself. She vaguely recalled that he had been appointed due to some sort of political favor when her mother and father were still alive. Her had only been working as such for about a year now, but he was very eager and determined to prove himself. A touch too ambitious for Elsa's liking, but he was efficient enough at completing paperwork and now, apparently, at coming up with… interesting… ideas.

"A tournament! Sword-fighting, of course. Perhaps it is a bit of a cliché idea, but there's something so romantic about the idea of fighting for love, is there not?" The young man seemed to be swooning over his own idea.

"Well, I suppose, but I'd rather not leave the results of my marriage to such chance-"

"Oh, no! It won't be for your hand, your majesty. The tournament will simply be an excuse to gather up many eligible young lords. No, the reward will be.."

"What about a kiss?" The portly aide spoke up again, now smiling in a almost mischievous manner.

"A kiss! Perfect! It tells them of the intention of the tourney without making it official."

"I must admit, it is a very effective plan. We shall get started immediately." The elderly woman spoke up, nodding her agreement to the two others before standing.

"I don't think-"

"Do not worry, my lady. It will go off without a hitch!"

Further protests died in Elsa's throat as the trio fled the scene. Anna hadn't moved since the idea was first announced. A tourney? For a kiss? Some slimy noble was going to fight to _kiss her sister_? And potentially marry her? But, wait, how, what!? The old Anna may have found this idea amazing and romantic, but this Anna.. this Anna was uneasy about the whole thing. Looking back to her sister, she practically threw her arms in the air as she came to a stand.

"Elsa!"

"Anna, really. I mean, it is not my first choice of methods, but a kiss is hardly-"

"A kiss is everything! A kiss can be how you find your true love! You can't just.. smooch on some guy that's good at swinging a piece of metal around!"

"Anna, if you do not wish to involve yourself, that is your prerogative.. but things have already been put in motion. Apparently."

Elsa sighed again. It wasn't as if she could tell the advisers, or her people, that she lacked interest in marriage to any _man_. Really, that was the main issue. She simply had no interest in them. Others would call her infatuation towards the fairer sex an abomination, a crime against God, but she could not lie to herself. She had done that for thirteen years, about both this and her powers. No she could not lie to herself.. but she had no choice but to lie to her advisors. At least this was rather tame.. and it was simply for a kiss. She could handle that, she'd have to. She turned her head to reassure her sibling, but her words stilled in her throat as she saw that Anna had already gotten up and was going out of the door, letting it slam behind her. Elsa smiled wryly, how ironic.

Anna fumed as she escaped from her sister's gaze, cheeks burning, a plan forming in her mind.

* * *

Here she was, a month later, eyes shutting as she tried to calm herself. Anna had not spoken to her much since then, and it was wearing a hole in her heart. She supposed she had no right to complain. She had shut Anna out of her life for thirteen years. That did not mean it didn't sting, though. This feeling of loneliness. She missed her sister's laugh, her bright smile, glimpses of her fiery hair just before she was captured in a spontaneous hug. Her babbling stories and her eagerness to spend time with her. The way the corner of her lips quirked up when she was trying to stifle a giggle. The way she licked them when she was concentrating or how they would form a gentle smile whenever she laid her head on her shoulder as they two of them caught up on missed-out storybooks. The way they must feel when—

**What?**

Elsa pulled on her glove as the odd thought passed through her mind, causing the skin over her faintly freckled cheeks to glow a soft pink. Where had that come from? She knew she missed her sister, but she wasn't aware that such feelings could cause something like that to form in her consciousness. She brushed off the longing as simply and intense urge to be with her sibling, _as siblings_, after so long. Yes. Elsa cleared her throat and glanced about nervously; suddenly very worried that someone had been watching her. No one. The servants knew she still enjoyed her privacy and periods of isolation. Ironic, but Elsa had become so accustomed to it that she needed time to herself now. The only other person who would bother her was Anna, and she found herself somewhat relieved about their separation now. Her mind was currently not cooperating with her.

* * *

"Again!"

A gruff voice rang out in the air. It originated from the back courtyard of the castle, near the barracks for the royal guard. The training ground was abuzz with activity.. but that was mostly around the outer edge. The entire center was left empty save for two figures: an older-looking gentleman with a beard, and a shorter woman with ginger hair flailing a sword. More specifically, Hallvard, the captain of the guard, and Anna. The girl let out a yell as she brought the sword up, delivering a swift downward strike into the dummy's shoulder. It left a gash as Anna wrenched the blade free again and stumbled back a little, breathing hard. She had been at this for a good few hours now, and the guards watching her _still_ had not left.

"Alright. That's enough for now."

"Wait, what? I'm just getting started Come on! I can keep going!"

"No. Your arms are liable to fall off at this rate. You should not be in such a rush. The royal guard will defend you, with or without this hobby."

Anna bit back a comment, bristling. It wasn't as if she could explain the real reason she was doing this. He wouldn't understand. No one would. Her given reason was for self-defense. What if someone broke into the castle? What if they went to war? What if there was another Hans? It was mostly the last one that had made the commander give in. They were all lies. Anna knew she could take another Hans if she had to. She had a mean right hook. The real reason was due to the uneasy feeling in her stomach she got every time she imagined Elsa kissing a faceless nobleman. The burning in her cheeks whenever Elsa was gently affectionate. It was for the tournament. She had been driving herself hard all this month. There was only one more to go before the tournament. She had to be ready. She had to be good. No, great. There wasn't time for these breaks that Hallvard kept sending her on.. but it wasn't as if she could tell him to shove it.

Frowning, Anna let the weapon drop from her hands, which she then wiped on her pants. Yes, pants. A dress was hardly sword fighting attire. Adorned in cloth pants, boots, and a belted tunic, she looked.. well, honestly, not that odd. Such an outfit seemed to suit her, in a strange manner, just as much as her dresses did. Her hair was mussed, her braid lose and threatening to become unbound. As she continued to grumble to herself, Hallvard approached and put a large hand on her shoulder. She looked up into his face, his gruff expression now replaced with an almost fatherly smile. He gave her back a firm pat, which made her stagger only slightly.

"Go on. I'll clean up. And you get yourself cleaned up. You did well today, you're really improving. Hell, you'll be able to go toe-to-toe with one of my boys with a little more practice!"

The gruff man chuckled, but he was being perfectly honest. The Princess seemed to have a knack for this, which surprised him immensely. She was known for being, well, a bit of a klutz. Even so, she handled a blade well. While he had been against this initially, he had to admit that it would make him feel better knowing she could handle herself in a fight. The Queen had her powers, and Anna would have this. Oh, it certainly didn't mean that the royal guard would just idle around, oh no. It was just that, if the worst happened, he knew the two of them would be a little bit safer. Smiling as he watched the Princess stagger off, he turned to pick up the training sword and pulled the hacked-at dummy out of the slot, walking off to replace it. As he did so, he noticed that his guards were still staring at the Princess,. More accurately, her posterior as she walked off. Scowling, he yelled in a booming voice.

"Back to work, the lot of you!"

* * *

Before returning to her room, Anna decided to make a pit stop to the kitchen. She was _starving_. This was made abundantly clear as she began to pester the kitchen hands. She didn't specific what she wanted. Just a lot of something. Like, a lot. It got bad enough that they shooed her out, and she ended up waiting outside the door, pacing around while they prepared the Princess a meal. Arms crossed, heel resting on the floor with a foot tilted up, she found herself leaned against the wall and.. slowly nodding off. Her head drooped until she chin rested on her chest, and she felt herself starting to drift…

"Your bed would be more comfortable."

Anna jumped at the voice, almost falling as she turned sharply to look at her sister, who now appeared to be panicked.

"Anna! I- I'm sorry. I didn't know you were already asleep.. I just thought.."

She was flustered, and her hands were extended into the air, as if she was trying to decide if she wanted to hug her sibling apologetically or not. Anna let out a sigh as she clasped her hand over her heart while raising the other hand.

"It's alright! I'm fine. I was just.. resting my eyes. Really. You just startled me a little."

Elsa seemed appeased by this, slowly regaining her composure. Well, somewhat. Now, she simply felt awkward. She and her sister had not spoken for much of this month, and now that they were face-to-face, she wanted to ask her why. She bit down on her lower lip as she averted her gaze, trying to ponder the right words. Anna was struck by her sister's beauty, and by the cuteness of the gesture. Part of her wanted to hug her, despite the fact that Elsa had now lowered her arms, while the other part of her realized she probably smelled _awful_. Suddenly self-conscious, Anna took a step back. This was not unnoticed by her sister, who looked at her with an expression of confusion and—Anna realized with a pang of guilt—hurt. She rushed to explain.

"I- I stink," she started, then flushed red as she waved her hands. "I mean! I probably smell bad because of.. sweat and stuff and.. um, I've been practicing sword-fighting so-"

"Sword-fighting? Why?"

Anna felt her throat go dry. Her sister was hosting a sword-fighting tournament, and here she was admitting what she had been up to for the past month. Hopefully her excuse from before would work on her sibling as well.

"Self-defense! You know. Just in case. There might be another Hans out there and I just want to be able to protect myself just in case. Not that I'd fall for that again! Or marry someone on the first day!"

Elsa was now staring at her strangely, and Anna wilted under the gaze. Had she bought it? Did she think she was weird?

".. I see. And that is what has been keeping you so busy?"

"Yep! Real busy! Learning to.. swing a metal thing at a wooden thing.."

Elsa knitted her brows suspiciously. Why the sudden interest in sword-fighting? She supposed it made sense for Anna to want to learn to defend herself after what had happened. Merely thinking about it made her eyes narrow and her pulse quicken. If anyone tried to take advantage of her sister like that again, she would freeze them, and that would be that. She would not risk it again. No, her sister would not get married to someone in a day again. Elsa noted with discomfort that she found herself thinking: _I'd rather her not get married at all_. Her improper feelings were quickly becoming an issue, especially as she took the time to look at Anna, _really look at her_. Disheveled and dressed in somewhat masculine clothing, her sister cut an adventurous and.. dare she say _attractive_.. figure.

"Well, I must be going, then. I will speak with you later?"

"Huh? Oh, yes! Yep. Definitely later."

Shoot, had Elsa caught her staring? She was turning away really quickly. Had she smelled her? Oh, God. Anna tugged on her shirt and titled her head down, giving herself a sniff. _Oh God it's like something died_, she thought with horror. No wonder she had run off so quickly. Embarrassed, her whole body on fire, Anna fled as well, leaving her food unretrieved as she went off to bathe as quickly as physically possible.

* * *

Another month had passed in the same manner, and now here she was. The day of the tournament had arrived, and Elsa steeled herself to step out into the courtyard. Everyone would be gathered out there, though the actual tournament was to be held at the training ground in the back. Before she stepped out, Elsa could not resist taking another glance behind her. No, it appeared that Anna would not be here to announce the start of the tourney with her. The disappointment was nearly enough to make her cry. Was she really that upset about the whole thing? Would she resent her for this? It was too late to go back on her word, regardless. Nodding to the guards, they proceeded to open the gates, and she stepped out into the courtyard amidst roaring cheers and applause.

At the back of the crowd, amidst the other nobles here to compete, there was a small figure. Adorned in the finery of a nobleman, the figure's head was covered by a hood and mask, a cloak swathed around their body. Eyes glinting from behind the mask, the figure grinned and bounced on their heels. This was going to be fun.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Before we start here, I just wanted to thank all of you for your support and kindness. Thank you so much, people of and tumblr, for your reviews, your follows, and your favorites. I will try to live up to your expectations to the best of my ability.

Also, a special thanks to my beta reader/editor, John! He helps refine these chapters for you lovely people, and makes sure to fix up my derpy typing quirks. Much love to him, and much love to all of you.

* * *

Anna could not, would not, ever get over how Elsa commanded such authority. A simple motion, a wave of the hand, had caused the courtyard to calm, the din dying down into utter silence. Hands clasped in front of her abdomen, Elsa was the picture of sophisticated grace. Anna could feel the piercing of her icy gaze from where she stood, even shrouded as she was. So focused on her sibling was she that she didn't notice the weird looks being sent her way from the people around her. Apparently, being cloaked like this aroused suspicion. Who knew? Anna simply did not have the time to worry about that, standing on her toes to peer over the shoulders of others as her sister began to speak.

"Citizens of Arendelle and esteemed guests of neighboring kingdoms, I welcome you. It is on this day that we come together to compete, yet through this competition, we will become closer as allies, as friends. At least, this is my hope," Elsa smiled then, a practiced look of amusement curving up the edges of her lips.

"Please, enjoy your day in Arendelle. Introductions of the competitors will begin tonight."

Wait, what?

Introductions? Tonight? Like, _tonight_, tonight? Anna felt her heart drop into her stomach. Of course the fighters would have to introduce themselves to the Queen! Of course no one would just trust the shady guy in the cloak at a glance! Shoot. Shoot, shoot, shoot. She had not thought this through. Placing her hand under her chin, the mask and cloak were the only things preventing people from seeing all the odd faces the Princess was making. In addition to, of course, making sure that they didn't know she was the Princess. As people began to disperse, including the other competitors around her, Anna practically sprinted away, her boot thudding heavily on the ground.

She didn't notice a pair of narrowed eyes watching her the whole way.

* * *

"**KRISTOFF!"**

A yell exploded from outside the rustic cabin, causing the scruffy blond-haired man inside to fall off his bed, curse, and then lumber over to the door. A reindeer, asleep on the floor nearby, groggily opened his eyes but did not go to make a move. Both of them recognized the voice, even though it was currently higher-pitched due to worry. Panic? Kristoff grabbed the handle of the door and pulled it open, suddenly awake.

"Anna! What is it? Is something the matter?"

The ice harvester looked around frantically outside, before he was hit by a hundred-something pounds of red-haired enthusiasm, causing him to stumble backwards into the cabin once more. Sven, worked up into excitement by all the sudden movement, barreled into the pair now, knocking them over in the process. The situation quickly continued spiraling downhill; with Kristoff trying to pushed the excited reindeer off, and Anna dissolving into a fit of giggles as she tried to hug the animal closer, arms wound around his neck. Kristoff gave up, groaning as he practically dragged himself away from the pair, letting out an exhausted sigh.

"Really, Anna? I thought you were hurt or something! And then you just rush in here, and run into me, and make Sven freak out.."

"Who's a good boy?! You! You are!" Anna didn't seem to be listening, and was instead back up on her feet, scratching the dog-like reindeer behind his ears.

Kristoff tried to continue looking angry, but that quickly dissolved into a tired smile. He couldn't stay mad at this girl. Stepping back, he dropped into a chair, letting his two best friends play for a moment. That girl's attention span needed work. When it came to something she was passionate about, it took a lot to get her attention off of it completely, but she still had issues with minor distractions. Kristoff then whistled, and Sven instantly stopped playing and scampered back over to him. The reindeer stood at his side a moment before dropping down to sit, tongue lolling out of his mouth.

"Alright, so tell me. What's got you worked up enough to come barging into my house?"

That worked. Anna quickly pulled up another chair, the legs making an awful squeaking sound on the wooden floor as she dragged it right up to him. She plopped down and kicked her legs out, resting her heels on top of his knees, her posture juxtaposed against the rather serious look on her face. Kristoff blinked in surprise, too taken aback by the sudden switch to reprimand her for putting her dirty boots on his nice, clean pants. Maybe this was his punishment for sleeping in so late and missing the Queen's tourney… announcement… thing…

"This has something to do with Elsa, doesn't it?"

".. Yeah," Anna admitted sheepishly, her cheeks reddening as she found looking into his eyes difficult, for a moment.

Well that wasn't a surprise to him. It always had something to do with Elsa. She was all Anna ever talked to him about half the time. He had to say, it made him a little jealous. True, he and Anna were not 'a thing' anymore, their mutual decision of friendship over romance the cause of that, but that didn't mean he didn't get jealous that someone else was the center of Anna's affections now. Even if that person happened to be her sister, and the affection was.. well, actually, Kristoff didn't know. Anna had not told him, and he had not asked. Was it merely sisterly, or something more? If he was lucky, today's crisis would enlighten him.

"I need to be more like a man!" Anna squealed out, her eyes widening as it registered to her what she had just said.

".. I'm sorry?"

"Alright, no, I have a good explanation for this, really. I entered the tournament. Or, well, I'm going to. When I show up. But that's why I'm freaking out, cause like, if I go like this, it's obvious they'll know it's me so I need a plan.. and you're the most guyish guy I know so I thought, hey, I'll ask Kristoff!"

"Wow. Uh, alright. I guess that explains the get-up. Why are you doing this exactly?"

Anna opened her mouth to answer, but then stopped herself. _Why __**was **__she doing this?_ Why was she so desperate to prevent her sister from kissing someone else? Why did she feel the need to prevent her from meeting a suitor, from falling in love with someone else? Wait, _someone else_? Why was she thinking this like she wanted Elsa's love to herself-

".. I think I'm in love with Elsa."

Well, that was a thing. Kristoff blinked, placing his hand over his mouth as he tried to form a response. Well, of course she loves her sister, that's normal. But she said _in love_. So that's less normal. The longer he was silent, the more worried Anna became, until she was staring at him with big, wide eyes that glistened with unshed tears. Now that was unfair. Kristoff rested his hands on his knees, letting out a sigh and forcing a smile onto his face.

"Alright, so you're in love with Elsa. What did you come to me for?"

".. Well that was a little underwhelming."

"Do you want me to freak out?"

No, no! Pleased don't," she said desperately, holding up her hands. Anna sniffled, and then wiped her arm across her eyes in an attempt to collect herself. So Kristoff was.. okay with this? That meant more to her than she realized, though it really shouldn't have surprised her. Kristoff was her best friend. He had been there for her when she went after her sister, when she had been frozen.. the whole time. Suddenly filled with affection for the burly ice harvester, she practically threw herself on him, grabbing him in a tight hug. Kristoff cleared his throat awkwardly.

"That doesn't answer my question."

"I need you to make me more like a guy! I mean, I need to be able to make people think I'm not.. me, you know? Because if I reveal that it's me, people might not let me compete, which would be bad, but even worse they might figure out _why_ I'm doing this because the reward is a kiss, and like, why would her sister enter for that, huh? Because she's dumb and in love with her, that's why!"

".. So you entered this competition with little to no planning. That sounds a lot like you."

"Excuse me, I have so been planning this! I mean, I have an alias, I borrowed some armor-"

"Borrowed?"

"- yes, borrowed, from the smithy. It's a little big but it'll work. Anyway! And I got these clothes."

"They look awful. Who did they even belong to, and why do you hate them enough to ruin their clothes?"

".. They were my dad's. I tried to fix them up a bit so they'd fit me, but I'm not good at sewing. Elsa's the seamstress. She's good at everything domestic, and she's beautiful, and so smart and-"

"You're gushing. Alright. So I'll fix that up for you, then."

"You can sew?"

".. Yes, shut up. I'll fix that up for you then and.. what did you say you wanted me to do? Make you more guy-ish?"

"Yes! I mean, my voice is high-pitched and my shoulders are scrawny so I thought you could.. help me learn to talk like a guy, and walk like a guy, and spit like a guy-"

"And pick your nose like a guy?"

"Ew, no, not doing that. And definitely not eating it. All the other stuff, yes. Please, Kristoff? _Please_?"

".. Alright, fine. If we're going to have you ready by tonight, we need to get started now. First, get up, and shove this down the front of your pants.."

They weren't allowed to wear their armor for the introductions, but Anna wasn't too worried about that. In fact, thanks to Kristoff's help, she was feeling rather confident she could pull this off. She looked herself over in a mirror, surprised at how different her body shape looked. She still wasn't any taller – Kristoff had suggested stuffing some of his boots and using those, but she couldn't walk like that – but her physique was certainly different. Stuffed like a scarecrow, the suit had been filled out to give Anna broader shoulders and a barrel chest, effectively hiding her breasts. She looked, well alright, she didn't look _extremely_ manly, but the shape was closer to being right.

While she knew it would still arouse suspicion, she decided to continue wearing the mask, as she could not wear a helmet. Maybe, if she was lucky, no one would care. Most jarringly though, was the fact that her hair had been hewn into a more appropriately 'manly' cut. It was as if her braids had been taken off, leaving a, slightly uneven, hairstyle that resembled her own from the neck up. Neck-down, though.. nothing. That had taken some convincing. A lot of banter was passed between Anna and her accomplice, mostly of her complaining about how non-subtle it was and how long it had taken her to grow her hair out in the first place, but she was eventually won over by an argument of;

"_Do you want to look like a man?"_

_Well, yes, but-"_

"_Men do not wear pigtails."_

"_Elsa will wonder why I cut my hair!"_

"_Tell her you're upset about our break-up or something."_

"_Oh, __**that's**__ not egotistical."_

"_Then just avoid her. You've been doing that for a while now anyway, haven't you?"_

Anna hadn't had a verbal response to that, but the look of sadness and downcast gaze had given Kristoff all the information he needed. Supportively, he had told her that he knew it hurt, but that it had to be done for this to work. Anna knew he was right, Kristoff had a good head on his shoulders, but that didn't make the feeling of loneliness fade. Hopefully, though, if this worked as she planned.. how exactly did she plan for this to go? Did she want Elsa to fall in love with her as well? Did she simply want to use this to convince Elsa not to marry, and hide it under platonic possessiveness? She didn't know. _God, Kristoff was right. I really didn't plan this out_, she thought bitterly as she tried to walk with a confident swagger back through Arendelle, nervously brushing a gloved hand against her cropped hair.

The mask seemed to be doing its job, people looked at her, but they didn't show any form of recognition. Mostly suspicion. The makeup that had been applied to her face probably helped as well. The lower half of her face was still left exposed, but the freckles there and on her neck had been neatly covered up. That idea had been Anna's, obviously. Kristoff didn't own any make-up; but he did have the idea of darkening the color of her lips a bit and putting dark circles around her eyes, to help hide their natural glow.

All in all, she looked pretty convincingly unlike-herself. She just hoped it would be enough to fool her sister.

* * *

Royalty and propriety were all well and good, but Elsa honestly could not find herself caring much about this whole ordeal. To her, this was simply about appeasing her people and entertaining them. As much as she wanted to _seem_ interested, Elsa had found issue with acting too regal and poised. She had been freed, and once she had tasted that freedom, even the regality that had been pounded into her mind since she was small had a weaker and weaker hold on her. As such, even though the Queen tried to carry herself with a regal air and took her position very seriously, she would often find her mind wandering, wishing to simply be spending time with Anna or practicing with her abilities.

Her inattentiveness had clearly been noticed, as someone cleared their throat very close to her ear. She focused back in, realizing that people were beginning to file into the throne room. An area around the throne itself had been kept clear, roped off, as that was where the swordsmen would stand as they were introduced. Guards stood posted at either end, there to keep an eye on the nobles more than keep an eye on the citizens. They were all very well-informed about the actions of the Duke and Hans; and they were advised—no, ordered—to keep a close eye out for anyone of their ilk.

The men were currently waiting in the other room, idly talking amongst themselves except for one. A red-haired and rather short gentleman stood off to the side, idly fussing with his hair and adjusting the lapels of his coat. He seemed rather nervous, mostly because he was not a he and was instead was Anna silently having a nervous breakdown. It took great willpower to not muss with the makeup on her face or lip, and she was constantly reaching up to make sure her mask was still on.

"Well, aren't you just a man of mystery."

Anna yelped as a hand clasped her shoulder, and she whipped around to look into the face of another one of the competitors. The man had a good few inches on her, and had a handsome, exotic look about him. Black hair that was slicked back, and a neatly-trimmed brow that was arched up in confusion, a bemused smile upon his face. It was then that Anna realized she had just squealed. _Like a girl._ Clearing her throat, Anna decided she would have to see if those vocal lessons had paid off. Turning on her heel to properly face the other man, she inclined her head, her lips a thin line as she tried to ignore the knot in her gut.

"Ah, yes, I just thought that since Els- Queen Elsa had not been receptive to.. traditional romance, a bit of intrigue would.. help," she trailed off lamely, her voice deepened. It sort of sounded like she had a bad cold and something stuck in her throat, but it was.. passable. Hopefully, it was certainly deep.

She glanced up to look at the man again, who seemed less confused now and more amused. He reached out, giving Anna a hard pat on her back; which, to her credit, only made her stumble a little bit. The man gave a sharp, barking sort of laugh that made the other competitors look over, and Anna could feel her nerve failing her. Had he seen through her guise so easily? Really? Well, that just wasn't fair! She'd really thought she'd done a good job this time, but apparently she was still a screw-up-

"I see! Clever. You're already a step ahead of me, sir. You will be one to keep an eye on, yes? I am Prince Ken of the Land of the Sun. Truly, I am more here to test my mettle against the men of this land of cold and mountains, but you sir, you must really favor the queen," he said wryly, giving Anna a friendly nudge in the side. The man spoke with a thick, faraway accent, but that didn't hide the cheerfulness in his voice.

Anna eyed him suspiciously the whole time he spoke, her expression changing from confusion, to understanding, and finally to embarrassment. Clearing her throat awkwardly, she turned her gaze away. On the one hand, great! Her disguise seemed to be working. He'd called her 'sir' twice, so that probably meant it was working. No, it definitely did. Good, good. On the other hand, wow, were her feelings really that easy to read? She could feel her cheeks heat up, and she reached up to adjust her mask again. Her fidgeting seemed to amuse Prince Ken further, as he threw a conspiratory arm around her shoulders and leaned in, dropping his voice to a whisper.

"I see! I was right, yes? A tender-hearted boy, you are. But you need to be sure, as it is not love but skill that shall win the kiss!"

Anna didn't have a response to that. He was right. There was no time to act shy or unsure about her feelings. Her whole point in joining this tournament was to prove to both herself and her sister that they were true; even if her sister didn't know about them yet. Anna withheld a verbal response and simply nodded. She wouldn't have had time to come up with something to say anyway, as when the movement was finished, trumpets started to sound from the other room. That was their signal, as well as the signal for those in the throne-room to silence themselves. Anna could feel her pulse start to race, and she inhaled slowly to steel herself, knowing this would be the ultimate test of her disguise.

* * *

"Prince Ken, of the Land of the Sun!"

Kai's voice rang from the throne-room. Many names had already been called, leaving Ken, Anna, and a third competitor the only ones waiting. With an excited smile, Ken winked at Anna before stepping outside, waving to the people amidst applause and many a woman swooning over his looks. _What a ham_, Anna thought, watching him through the crack in the door. At least he seemed like a nice person. Then again, so did Hans. Anna didn't trust a hair on his perfectly-sculpted head. She didn't trust any of them. Glancing back behind her, she eyed the last competitor besides herself, who was eyeing her in turn. He gave a polite, practiced smile, and averted his gaze. Nope, didn't trust this guy either.

"Prince Andrew of Northwood!"

Anna felt her heart leap into her throat. With all the throat-clearing and heart-leaping she was doing today, she was afraid she wouldn't even be able to talk tonight. Anyway. That was her, or at least her alias. Being a Princess, it had been easy enough to get the resources to make a fake alias. A little research had found that little was known about Northwood, and even less was known about the reclusive young Prince. Who better for her to model as? Sure, eventually they would find it, but it would take a long time to send a letter to that hamlet. Longer than it would take for the tournament to be done, that's for sure. Despite not putting much thought into the actual execution of it, Anna had been diligent in making sure at least her backstory would be believable.

There were murmurs of surprise at the mention of the name, no one having expected the hostile little region to have sent an ambassador to fight. Even Elsa herself appeared surprised for a moment, though she let the expression fade. While it was surprising that they had sent someone to fight, it continued not to particularly pique Elsa's interest. Instead, her thoughts were focused on her sister. Why was she not here? Where had she gotten off to? While she watched for the scrawny Prince to approach—he had slipped out of the doorway by now and was awkwardly shuffling his way along—she leaned over to whisper to Kai, who stood obediently at her side.

"Kai, have you seen my sister?"

"I'm afraid not, milady. She had been out of my sight since lunch-time," he stated. Upon seeing the Queen's worried expression, he carried on. "But I'm certain she is fine, miss. She cannot have gotten far. I'd wager she is off with the Royal Ice Master."

Somehow, that did not comfort Elsa. Sighing softly, she was jolted back into reality when she saw that the Prince of Northwood was now standing in front of her. He looked nervous, and was constantly playing with his hair and.. his mask? How quaint. Did he think he would win her affections by playing the mysterious stranger? Part of her wanted to order the removal of the mask to break his silly ruse, but the other part of her was somehow endeared by the display. She'd allow him his little game. Elsa extended her hand, and the Prince shakily got down on one knee and took it, kissing it tentatively. Elsa had already averted her gaze again as he stood, her vision resting on the far doors, as if she was expecting someone to come through.

* * *

Elsa was growing steadily more impatient. Now that the introductions had drawn to a close, she could not stop tapping her nails on the arm-rest of the throne. Where was her sister? Was she truly so bitter about this whole thing that she'd miss out on all of the festivities? Was this purely to spite her? With the part in full swing, her citizens mingling with the competing Princes, her patience snapped. The princess rose and spoke a few quiet words before turning and exiting the room. She would find her sister, and talk to her about this gross misconduct... and if she could do anything to make this up to her. She had noticed this new separation was quickly morphing from a burden to a gaping hole in her heart.

What she had not noticed, however, was that one of the Princes had also slipped away from the party early.


	3. Chapter 3

Anna had managed to slip away from the party—hopefully unnoticed—when it began to pick up. Thankfully, most of the guards and servants were in the throne room, making it easier for Anna to sneakily return to her chambers. It also didn't hurt that she had roamed these halls enough times to know which ones were usually empty, and she had even found a few secret passages that were most likely used to evacuate the castle during an emergency. Anna considered getting back to her room secretly an emergency enough to use them; not that she really needed to justify a reason to herself. It was her home, after all.

Once inside, legs cramping up from having to crouch and hide under a table, she quickly began to remove her disguise, practically hopping about as she yanked the boots and pants off. Each piece removed was thrown into the back of her closet. The coat was next, and Anna was standing about in her underwear when she heard a tapping at her door. Three knocks. That was their signal, hers and Elsa's. They knew that knocking would be a hard habit to break, open doors or not, so they had decided to knock in the same manner as each other, just as a little announcement before coming in. For the first time in her life, though, Anna had to bar Elsa from entering her room, as much as it hurt her heart to do so.

"Just.. just a second! Hold on, don't come in!"

On the other side of the door, Elsa stared in disbelief. Anna was.. shutting her out? No, no, don't think of it like that. Then the guilt will come back, the urge to blame herself for Anna's distance. No, it had to be simply because Anna was doing something, but what could she be doing that she couldn't show her sister? While she wanted to respect her sister's privacy, she also wanted answers. Without another word, she pushed down on the handle. Unlocked, so it couldn't be that bad, could it? Elsa thrust her hand out, opening the door and slipping in, closing it behind her.

"Anna, really. I don't know why you're-"

Elsa cut herself off with a choking noise. Anna did have enough time to hide her disguise before Elsa came in, but she did not have enough time to change. It left her standing there in her underwear with wide eyes, looking like a deer about to be plowed over by a sled. Her hair was fluffed up wildly and wet, her whole body shivering. Anna had been prepared to clean her sleeked-back hair when she returned, but since Elsa was just barging in, she had just kind of.. grabbed a glass of water on her vanity and poured it over her head. The water dripped down her head, running in rivulets down her neck and shoulders. Elsa's face colored at the sight, but she found herself unable to tear her gaze away for a moment. A long moment, longer than one would deem appropriate. Anna, unsure of what to do with herself, just lifted her hand and gave a small wave, making a squeaky noise in greeting.

Lust hit her like a thunderbolt. Feelings pushed down and buried welled to the surface once more. Her hand gripped into her own arm, nails almost piercing flesh as a _hunger_ was awakened in her gut. Wrong as she knew it was, images of pressing Anna to the wall flashed through her mind. Kissing her, tongues dancing in tandem. Hands exploring every inch of her freckled body, her mouth following shortly after to kiss _every, single one_. Hearing her sister's named ripped from her lips amidst moans and the shifting of bed sheets. _No, no, stop. Conceal, don't feel, _she hissed to herself, repeating the familiar mantra in her mind. It was only her practiced ability to hide her feelings that kept her entire body from visibly reddening under her sibling's inquisitive gaze.

After the initial shock of seeing her sister in her skivvies wore of, and she waved the inappropriate thoughts from her mind, she quickly noticed that Anna's hair was different. No, different was too tame a word. It had been eviscerated, mauled, butchered. The Queen wandered over to her, silent, and this started to make Anna horribly uncomfortable. A lump formed in her throat as her whole body heated up under her sister's intense scrutiny. Slowly, she began to wind one arm across her chest, taking a small half-step back as Elsa drew ever closer. The look her sister was giving her was unreadable. Was she mad? Confused? Upset? She couldn't tell.

"Um, Elsa? Is something the matter-"

"What happened to your hair? And why are you wet?"

Anna flinched at the hardness in Elsa's voice, she was more upset with her than she had thought. It can't have been just about the hair, right? Elsa was usually calm, and just her hair wouldn't make her react like this. It wouldn't make snow begin to flutter in the air. It was very slight, but the temperature drop was evident, and Anna shivered, feeling goose bumps rise on her skin. No, it had to be due to the fact that she had been avoiding her for so long, and when Elsa had caught her, she was standing around mostly-naked with a disheveled haircut after 'avoiding' the whole tournament. Anna steeled herself, inhaling slowly to calm the nerves, then looked her sister in the eyes.

"Can I get changed before we start whatever this is going to be?"

".. Of course," Elsa breathed out. She'd allow this much.

Shuffling over, Anna carefully re-opened her closet, trying to subtly nudge her disguise further out of eyesight. She picked a dress at random and quickly began to put it on. As she did so, she began to search desperately for a cover story. Hanging out with Kristoff? Yes, yes that was good. He'd definitely cover for her, even if Elsa went behind her back and questioned him personally. Not that she would do that, she hoped. As for the need to change dresses.. she'd come up with that one on the spot, as she was almost done dressing herself now and she could feel Elsa's stare on her through the closet door. Anna took a few, measured steps back and glanced at her sibling again, feigning an expression of innocent confusion.

"What were you asking again?"

"What did you do to your hair? Why are you dripping wet? And where have you been all day? Do you know how _worried_ I've been-"

"Aw, c'mon Elsa. I'm fine! I can take care of myself, you know." She didn't _mean_ to sound bitter just then. It just sort of.. slipped out.

Elsa seemed to hear the undercurrent in the words, and she looked hurt a moment before exhailing slowly, collecting herself. "I'm aware. That does not excuse your absence from the tournament announcement. As Princess, it's your duty to-"

"To what? Stand there awkwardly and try to look happy about this whole stupid thing?"

"Anna!"

"What? It is stupid! You know it is, I know it is, and so, I'm not going. Even if you get all icy!"

Elsa flinched at that, looking down towards her feet. Ice had started to spread across the floor, showing that her faux composure was not nearly as strong as she had thought it'd been. She took a deep breath, her mantra repeating in her head as she took control of the ice, but it did not thaw. Love was a difficult concept to harness when you were currently arguing with the object of your affections. Looking back up at Anna, she met her sister's stubborn gaze with a look of unhindered agitation. Moving closer, she let one hand drop to her side, making a sweeping motion in her sister's direction with the other. Luckily no ice swept out at the motion. Elsa had been practicing with her magic more often these days, and the release allowed her better control, even when her nerves were frayed.

"Anna, just because we don't like something doesn't mean we can avoid it. I have an obligation to the people of Arendelle to at least _look _like I'm searching for a suitor. You know that."

".. Doesn't mean I gotta like it," Anna responded grumpily, pouting.

Elsa sighed. "No, it doesn't. Is that what this is all about? Are you gaining a rebellious streak?" Now right up next to her sister, Elsa motioned at Anna's hair. If by 'motioned' of course, one meant that she gently brushed her cold fingers through the snipped locks. The action made Anna shiver, but she didn't dare brush her sister's hand away.

".. Yeah, I guess."

"You guess?"

"Yep."

Elsa furrowed her brows, was it the reason or wasn't it? Anna was acting particularly evasive today, and it was starting to worry her. The elder sister reached out and placed her hand on Anna's arm, drawing her eyes up to Elsa's again. For a long moment, the two of them just stayed like that, Elsa's mouth partially open as she tried to figure out what to say. Apparently getting frustrated with herself, she let out an exasperated sigh and paced away a few steps, then turns back to face Anna, once again looked irritated. Anna met the look with surprise, and stuck her chin up, eyeing Elsa right back.

"Anna, please. Just tell me what this is all about. Just tell me the truth."

"There's nothing to tell. I just went and did some stuff and now I'm back."

"Anna, that is _not_ an explanation."

"Well, it's the one I'm giving."

"**Anna!"**

"What!? Fine! I went to the mountain with Kristoff and I fell in some snow. And I wanted a haircut! That's it! Is that some kind of crime, _your majesty_?" Anna could feel herself getting agitated. Her voice had taken on a mocking, sarcastic air. Not because she was angry, but because hiding all this was already hard enough without her sister barging in and starting to interrogate her.

"No, it was just irresponsible and foolish!" Elsa was also getting increasingly angry, her speech rising in desperation and pitch. Why was Anna lying to her? Yes, she could tell she was lying. The two had only been reunited for a few months now, but Anna was awful at fibbing. She had multiple tells; shifty eyes, fixing her hair, sometimes biting onto her lip. And she was doing all of them as she spoke, though more than anything she appeared upset.

Upset with.. her? For what? Wanting her know what her baby sister was doing when she was supposed to be attending the tournament? Frowning, she stared at her sister, who was now staring at the floor. "Anna, I'm not going to stand here and argue with you about this-"

"Then _leave_!"

The familiar phrase crackled through the air, leaving both sisters standing there in astonishment. Anna could hardly believe those words had come out of her mouth, that phrase that had harmed her so during the coronation ball. But it was too late to take them back now. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, her heartbeat racing. Her fists clenched at her sides, tightening around the fabric of her dress. She hadn't meant to let it get this far, she didn't even mean those words she was just.. she was just so desperate to get Elsa to stop. She couldn't let this plan get ruined, this plan that she believed was her only hope. Her only way to prove her feelings, without giving her sister time to doubt. Her eyes hesitantly rose and met her sister's own, the emotion within them broke her heart.

Elsa stared back, her hand clasped over her heart, her eyes wet with unshed tears. She was hurt, that much was certain. At the same time, though, part of her understood. She had hurt Anna with those exact words before; she had said them even though it pained her so. Now they were being used against her, and she supposed she deserved it. She couldn't vocalize any of this, though. Her throat felt tight, and she had to quickly turn away as tears began to spill down her cheeks. She ran towards the door, wrenching it open and fleeing without a sound. Here she was, running away again, leaving her sister standing there, one arm stretched out towards her. She didn't turn back to see the look of apologetic sorrow on her face.

* * *

"Ladies and gentlemen, citizens of Arendelle and respected dignitaries, I thank you for coming! The time you have been waiting for has come, the first round of the swordsmanship tourney!"

Elsa's voice, strong and sure, rang out across the training field. Cheers rose up in response, coming from the multitudes of people who filled the stands. They had been built and set up around the field, making it appear to be a proper, oval arena. Off to the side were many tents, set up so that the competitors could prepare themselves for their bouts, typically with the help of their servants. One Prince stood alone, not a servant in sight, already dressed in his full armor. He watched Elsa closely for a long moment, before going back into his tent and slamming into a scruffy blonde-haired fellow.

"Hey, careful tin-pants. Can't have you denting that up before you even start," the blonde man joked, reaching out to remove the Prince's helm.

Once removed, it was Anna who stood there, staring up at Kristoff with a reluctant expression that slowly shifted to one of gratitude. "Kristoff, thank you. For like, you know, all of this. Without your help, I-"

Kristoff popped the helmet back on Anna's head. "Enough of the sap, you've got a fight to win. They'll be calling you out there soon, mister round-one competitor."

"Don't remind me. Stupid random draw. Random my butt, they just want to see the little guy get beat up. Ooh no, I'll show them!"

"I'm sure you will, now get out there. They've already called you."

"Wait, what? Shoot!"

'Andrew' charged out of the tent, skidding to a stop when she found that people were staring at her expectantly. Touching her face to make sure her helmet was on securely, Anna started to stroll confidently out towards the field. A whisper-shout of _"Anna!"_ made her stop though, and she looked back to see Kristoff's panicked face. He was clutching her sword. _Her sword. _She kind of needed that. Making a motion like 'toss it!', she fumbled with the sheathed blade in the air as Kristoff did just that. She tried her hardest to ignore the chuckles from the stands, instead she turned and continued walking. Never had she been so glad that helmets existed, as it served well to hide her burning face. _So stupid_, she scolded herself. Trying to regain some of her dignity, she added some swagger to her step as she waved to the people in the stands, making her way out onto the field. Some of the kinder people in the stands cheered, while others stared blankly. Good, great.

Her opponent was already waiting for her, standing at his spot on the other side of the field. But Anna wasn't looking at him right now. Instead, she was searching the stands, looking for the Queen's Box- ah! There she was. Normally, she'd be happy to see her sister, but right now, it only made her upset. Elsa was clearly uninterested in the bout, and even from this distance she could tell the Queen was upset. Words of their early argument rang through Anna's mind. It was her fault that her sister looked so distraught, so lost. Not only had she hurt her but now, once again, she wasn't showing up to the tournament. Elsa must have expected that, though, as she was not watching the entry to the box. Instead her vision rested on something out in space, her troubles occupying her.

Anna's heart went out to her; but it wasn't as if she could run over and give her a hug, even though she wished to, desperately. There's nothing she would have liked more than to run to her sister and hold her, stroke her hair and apologize until she ran out of breath. But she couldn't. No, she was on a mission. She turned to face her opponent then, sizing him up. Wow, he was big, definitely bigger than her, but so were all the competitors. But he was like, really big. Nope, that's alright, she could handle this. Drawing her sword, she inhaled deeply. _Let's hope that I practiced enough for this,_ she mused, aware that perhaps now was not the best time to doubt herself.

"The battle shall be won based on the accumulation of points," the fight marshal started, seeing that his Queen was currently lost in her own thoughts. He stood at the side of the field, his loud voice projecting around the constructed arena. "The winner shall be the one with the most points accumulated after time has been called, if I signal for an end to the battle, or if one of the two competitors yields. A point deduction will be given to the yielding competitor. This will _not_ be a fight to the death." He seemed to eye the competitor facing Anna for a moment, but the glance was fleeting enough that it was hard to know for certain.

"Begin!"

The call went out, but Anna's eyes were once again not on her competition, but on the Queen. She sighed. How could she possibly apologize for- the thought was ended by a sudden, sharp blow to the side of her head, causing her to hit the ground with a grunt. Well, that was certainly one way to get her head in the game. Looking up she saw the blade was coming at her one more, and she quickly rolled to the side out of the way. Scooping her own sword back up, she returned to her feet as shocked cheers came up from the crowd. So many had been sure that the scrawny Prince would be done after that blow. Honestly, Anna felt like she was going to throw up. The blow had smashed in part of her helmet, and her ears were ringing. This wouldn't stop her, though.

Taking advantage of her opponent's sword being stuck in the dirt due to the forceful swing—he had heard they weren't trying to kill each other right?—she swung her own blade out, striking her opponent across the side. Pain rang up through her arms; metal on metal was not a pleasant sensation. Still, that had earned her points, so. With a roar, her foe pulled his blade free and swung, delivering a painful blow to Anna's side. Ooh, that would bruise. Staggering back, she quickly lifted her blade horizontally to stop the next swing, an overhand strike meant for her shoulder. Knowing she could not force him back with strength, she instead quickly dipped her sword and sidestepped, letting the other Prince's blade slide harmlessly off to the side, before she struck again, blade whipping across his back.

Grinning behind her helmet, Anna danced on her toes. Alright, so her side hurt and her head hurt, but this was going pretty well, right? She'd hit him twice! Yay her! The enthusiasm vanished the moment her opponent turned on her again. Even with his helmet on, she could tell her was mad. Ooh, boy. He was breathing hard like a bull, and then proceeded to charge her like one. Stepping from foot to foot, she was confused about what to do until the choice was made for her. Instead of using his sword, the burly man cracked her across the head and let her thud to the ground, before bringing his boot up.

"I'll crush you, you little gnat!"

"Stop, stop the fight!"

Anna could hear a struggle, but couldn't open her eyes, clutching onto the sides of her helmet. Good, it hadn't been knocked off after that hit. It had certainly _felt_ like her head was going to be bashed off that time. Coughing, she unsteadily pushed herself up, and saw that her opponent was currently being herded off the field by members of the Royal Guard. Turning about, Anna saw with glee that Elsa was actually paying attention to the fight now. She even looked worried. About her! Or, well, about Prince Andrew. But it was still technically her. Lifting her hand, she gave a wave to show she was alright, and the crowd erupted in a raucous cheer. Though Anna didn't know it, she had now become a beloved underdog.

"Sir Baldvin is disqualified, in addition to his loss. With four points to three, the winner of the first bout is Sir Andrew!" Grabbing Anna's arm, the fight marshal lifted it, and the cheering carried on. That was the last thing Anna heard before everything went black, and she crumpled to the ground.

* * *

Anna woke with a start inside a vaguely familiar home. In a panic, she sat up, feeling that her armor had been removed. She instantly regretted the quick movement, clutching the sides of her head as she sunk back onto the bed with a groan. A warm hand placed itself over her forehead, and she cracked an eye open to see Kristoff looming over her. Oh, thank goodness. She smiled up at him, and he returned it, though he was clearly worried. Wordlessly, he stood and went over to fetch a couple of mugs. As things started to sink in once more, Anna went to sit up again, eyes wide.

"Wait, what happened? Why am I here? Did anyone see-"

"No one saw your face, I brought you here. I had to lie a bit about how I knew you, since Elsa saw me drag you off, but long story short, we're pen-pals now, Sir Andrew. .. Of course, that led to more questions, but I got it handled."

Kristoff gave her a thumbs-up, and Anna snuck back onto the bed again. "How long have I been out?"

"A couple of hours."

"A couple of h- Kristoff!"

Anna pushed herself out of the bed, staggering only slightly as she stood up. "Elsa's probably freaking out! I just disappear from the castle without a word.. she's going to give herself a heart attack! Or a hernia! Or- or something else that's not good! Like a heart-hernia! Is that even possi-"

Kristoff held up a hand to silence her, shaking his head. "Stop before you give yourself one. I'll keep your armor here. Can you get back in the castle without being caught?"

"Please. You're talking to an expert, here. Thanks again, Kristoff!"

Anna gave a wave as she slipped out of the cabin, turning to start running down the slope home. Giving a sigh, Kristoff slumped down into his chair, looking idly over at the two cups left on the end table. _She didn't even drink her hot chocolate_, he thought, smiling wryly. If her feelings for her sister were enough to make her forget about chocolate, then they definitely had to be real. Looking to Sven, he noticed with amusement that the reindeer had been standing stock-still the whole time, not really sure what to do about an unconscious Anna that had suddenly bolted out the door. Motioning for him to come over, he gave the animal an affectionate pat on the snout.

"She's nuts, huh buddy?"


	4. Chapter 4

The return trip to her room had been a _wee_ bit more difficult this time. Last time she was already inside the castle, so getting to her own room from there was easy-peasy. Now? She was outside the castle, and there were guards _everywhere_. Getting into the walls had been easy enough, there was a secret tunnel from the sewers which, while they worked nicely, had the added effect of making her smell like she had fallen into horse manure. Lovely. Still, it was better than climbing the wall, and Anna found herself thankful for her great-great-great-whatever-grandparents' apparent paranoia when they built this place. It looked nice and simple from the outside, but there was what equated to a labyrinth underground.

Oh yes, getting into the walls had been easy enough for someone who knew what they were doing. Getting to her room, however had been a challenge; mostly because she'd had to climb up the side of the castle, as the only royal route in had been locked from the inside. Had Elsa been following her and found her using them? No, no, it wouldn't be surprising to her if she found them herself. Elsa was clever, which is why she probably locked it, so people couldn't break into the castle.. like Anna was doing. Needless to say, Anna found a new appreciation for pants during her climb, much easier to scrabble around in than a dress. She was also thankful that Kristoff had helped her learn to climb mountains, after her pitiful attempt on the North Mountain. Plus, it wasn't like she hadn't climbed enough tries and climbed around on this very roof enough times to know what she was doing, right? And there so so happened to be a very nice tree that led onto the roof in the back garden.

Now, she was laying on her back in her room, exhausted, her window open. Thank goodness her window was unlocked like she left it. Wow, that would have been bad if it wasn't. Unfortunate, even. But she didn't have time to dilly-dally and ponder 'what-ifs' when her plan had been successful thus far. Her sister was probably somewhere in the castle, and Anna definitely needed a bath before she ran into 'ol' frostbite' again. Giggling at the nickname Kristoff had given her sister, she quickly stripped and changed into a nightgown, flinging her disguise into her closet. She grabbed a spare one as well, because now this one would smell like manure. She mussed up her hair and began to scamper down the hall to the bathroom closest to her own room, shoving her way in with an elbow. She instantly regretted that, though, when pain shot through her side. Oh right, Prince Tubby McMuscles had hit her with his stupid sword. Ow.

Groaning, Anna quickly started herself a bath, stripped down and looked at herself in the mirror. _Oh. That's a thing,_ she thought, smiling ruefully at herself. She reached down and placed a cool hand against the bruise that had formed on her side. It hadn't yet taken on the blue-black color one expected with a bruise, instead still an angry red color, swollen and tender to the touch. That was going to get really ugly over the next couple of days. Could you even do anything for bruises? Maybe put some ice against it? At least she wouldn't have to fight again tomorrow. Elsa herself, kind and compassionate, had decided that competitors get a day off to recuperate after each bout. Anna would be joined by others who had competed on the first day—which she missed due to passing out—in the stands. Hopefully they weren't too chatty, Anna's throat was still feeling sore from clearing it and speaking in her man-voice.

Anna wandered over to the tub, letting it drain a bit because she had let it overflow a little while lost in her thoughts, and slowly slipped into the warm water. No, not warm, it was hot. It was very hot. Anna yelped at the sudden, intense temperature change, but slowly relaxed into it and shut her eyes. So relaxed was she, that she could feel herself start to doze off, ears slipping underwater and making her unable to hear any sounds around her. This included the sound of a door opening, a small gasp, and then bare feet striding towards her. Gentle scrubbing her soapy scalp, her calm was interrupted by a shout loud enough to pierce the barrier of water.

"Anna!"

The Princess shot up out of the water like she had been shot by a bolt, frantically looking for the source of the voice. She breathed out a sigh of relief when she saw it was Elsa. Then she remembered she was naked in a tub, and she could feel a blush spreading across her cheeks and to her ears. She sank down into the water, huffed and then followed shortly with a giggle. It was one of the more lighthearted sounds she'd made around Elsa in a while, she noted with sadness. That would definitely change when all this was done.

"Knock much?"

Elsa smiled faintly at the giggle, apparently equally surprised and pleased by it, then let her voice and expression become serious once more. "I'm sorry, but I, again, haven't seen you all day. Where have you been?"

"Out."

The short response seemed to make something in Elsa snap, as she reached out to grab her sister's arm, hosting her up out of the water. It was a harsh movement, but it was surprisingly gentle, Elsa making sure Anna didn't slip when she was lifted, and that she didn't grip onto her too hard. Anna yelped in surprise, and in pain, the sudden movement making her injured side hurt worse. "Hey!"

"Don't. Anna, I'm not going to let you sit there and give me such vague answers again- what happened to you!?"

After lifting Anna up, her eyes had trailed across her body, in a purely platonic manner, of course. Where they had stopped was Anna's side, where the red bruise shone clearly, like a beacon of Anna's irresponsibility. Letting go of Anna's wrist, she reached out to lightly touch the bruise. The sensation of her fingers on her skin made Anna shiver, as much due to the temperature as it was due to the fact her sister was standing there looking at her naked body. Even if it was just her side, Anna suddenly felt self-conscious, and then slowly gained the nerve to feel indignant. She swatted Elsa's hand away and covered up the bruise with both of her own.

"It's nothing."

"That isn't nothing! Anna.. that looks painful. What happened? Please, tell me," Elsa practically begged. She knew Anna had been avoiding her lately, she knew she had been lying, but she still wasn't quite sure why. All she knew was that it was killing her.

"Elsa, really, just let it go. So I got a bruise, I used to get those all the time when I was little, falling off of things and running into things."

"Anna, I know there's something you're not telling me."

That made Anna freeze up, and she looked at Elsa, eyes wide. She couldn't have figured out what she was doing already, could she? No, this was just Elsa being Elsa. "Oh, so you don't trust me?" The words tumbled out of her mouth.

"No, no! Of course I trust you, I just-"

"You just want to poke your nose in my business."

No, no, no, this isn't how Anna wanted it to go! This isn't what Anna wanted to say. It was like worrying about this plan had caused all of her bitter thoughts, all of her lonely feelings, to rise up to the surface. Now, she was spewing them like venom in her sister's face. It wasn't even like she was horribly resentful, even after the years of separation, because she understood now. So what was the matter with her? Was she lonelier than she thought, or was this just her way of trying to keep her sister ignorant of her plan? Sighing exasperatedly, she proceeded to step out of the tub, and then proceeded to slip on the still-wet floor. Slippery floors and her, they do not go well together. Her entire body tensed, preparing to feel her head hit cold tile, but instead she felt two arms wind around her body and stop her from hitting the floor in the nick of time. A vibrant eye peeked open, she could hear blood rushing in her ears when she saw it was Elsa. Her sister. Holding her. While she's naked.

_Oh, please don't faint again_, she urged herself.

Elsa breathed heavily as she stared into the eyes of her younger sister. The adrenaline that had surged though her veins when she saw Anna start to fall was slowly seeping out, leaving her cradling her sister a few inches from the ground. Her very wet, very unclothed sister. Elsa swallowed hard at the sight, and had to force herself not to allow her eyes to roam. _It would be so easy, _she found herself thinking, _to kiss her right now._ The thought made her face redden, and her grip involuntarily tightened around Anna. This was quickly getting out of hand. Her own tongue darted out, brushing across her lips, as if she was anticipating something. And then the mood was broken as Anna sneezed, causing Elsa to drop her the rest of the way onto the floor.

"Anna! I'm sorry, are you alright?" Her voice upped in pitch as she crouched over her sibling, hands outstretched in worry, hovering over her and completely unsure of what to do.

Anna wasn't alright. Well, she was physical alright, but mentally? Not so much. The proximity had done nothing to help her libido, as she was suddenly struck with a fresh new realization of just how beautiful Elsa is. Just how kind she was, hovering over her, no longer focused on questioning her but simply on worrying for her well-being. It warmed her heart, but she supposed that made sense. True love will thaw a frozen heart. Those words had stuck with her since that day, but steadily took on a new meaning each moment she was around Elsa. Every second had just been so full of joy, so full of love. A passionate love, unlike the desperate love she had for Hans, and the kinship she had with Kristoff. No, this was an ache, a pain that lodged itself in her chest and stomach. Clasping one hand over her heart, she realized with a gasp that she had been spacing out, Elsa's face hovering above her. She was almost in tears.

"I'm alright! I'm alright. Really, I'm fine. I'm just.. lying on the floor naked. No big deal."

_Smooth._

This served to make Elsa flustered once more, making her cheeks turn a pretty pink as she backed off a little. It took some work, but she hoisted herself back up into a sitting position and carefully got back up to her feet. She self-consciously moved back behind the tub, arms wound around her chest. Finding that Elsa's eyes followed her movement, Anna's stomach churned, like a hornet's nest had been kicked up. Weird, she always heard that you got butterflies in your stomach when things like this happened. Instead, it just made her feel sort of on-edge. Part of her wanted to think that this was a hint, a sign that Elsa might, _just might_, feel the same way. Even the logical side of her brain thought it saw some potential there. If she was wrong, though, this would just be her getting her hopes up. As usual.

"Um, Elsa? Can I finish my bath?"

"Hm? What? Oh, yes! Yes. I- I'm sorry," she said quickly averting her gaze. Clearing her throat, she continued. "But we are not done discussing this. Meet me in my room after you are done."

Anna rolled her eyes, slipping back into the bathwater, moment gone. "Of course, Queen Elsa," she replied, her voice taking on an edge of sarcasm.

Glancing back, Elsa let out a sigh, a soft and almost heartbroken sound. The queen made for the door, silent. She opened it and quietly slipped out, hurrying back down the hallway to her chambers. She could feel her eyes stinging, and was shocked to feel wetness when she grazed the palm of her hand over her eye.

What had she done wrong? No, that was a stupid question. She had done so many things wrong. Shutting Anna out, hurting her twice, invading her privacy. She had just thought that now that the doors were open, that the two of them would be able to connect. Perhaps this was a divine punishment for the love she held for her sister, an intense passion that most would frown upon. Royalty was known for a touch of in-breeding.. but this was her sister. A woman, and her close blood family. Elsa bit back a sob as she pushed her own door open, desperate to control herself before Anna arrived. If she even did come.

* * *

_Knock._

_Knock._

… _Knock._

The taps were almost deafening in the quiet room. _Anna. _The knocks had certainly not been enthusiastic, but they were there, and that was enough to cause hope to return. If she had come, surely she was not pleased by their disagreements as well? Surely, she wanted to fix things? These thoughts alone caused a smile to return to Elsa's face, as she rose from her chair and moved over to the door. This time, she wouldn't hesitate. Never again. Reaching out, she pressed the handle down and pulled the door open. For a moment, it all felt surreal. She had done this many times since the _incident_, but it felt so unfamiliar each time. Thirteen years of ignoring these knocks would do that to a person, she supposed.

Anna stepped back slightly as the door was opened, meeting her sister's eyes. While Elsa was still in her dress from this morning, Anna had changed into her nightgown after the bath. Not really much reason to get dressed again, was there? It was getting late, and it wasn't as if she was going to be going anywhere else today, mostly because she had a sinking feeling that this would not go well. It not going well led to her being upset, and her being upset led to her not leaving her own room. Wow, that was a pessimistic train of thought. It was probably 'cause she felt so self-conscious, standing there in her night-clothes and being eyed by her sister in all of her elegant beauty. Yeah, thinking about it like that _definitely _didn't help.

".. Can I come in?" She finally spoke up, realizing the two of them had been just sort of standing there staring at one another.

"Oh. Oh! Yes, please."

Elsa opened the door further, allowing Anna to come in. Anna glanced around the still-unfamiliar room as she stepped inside. It was so blue, and cold. Too cold. Elsa must be nervous, for her to be struggling with her powers again. Stepping further in, Anna looked about, taking it all in; the bed, the shelves, the large bay window. It was small, definitely unlike her own. Then again, her own had once been shared by the two girls. Anna placed her hand over her chest, surprised by the feeling of loss that had flared up. Not even thirteen years and their reunion could bury it, it seemed. Reunion. Three months, and they had made surprisingly little progress. The first month had been fine, the second worse, and the third, they barely spoke to one another. It was as if it was all settling in, the excitement at being with one another again tempered by their time apart.

"Please, take a seat." Her sister's voice brought the usually-exuberant girl back to the present, and she turned to see her motioning at the bed.

Plopping down onto the side of the bed, she let her hands rest on the sheets, her eyes following their movement a moment before they were lifted again as she spoke. "So, what did you want to talk about again?"

"Your continued lack of presence at the tournament, and your injury," Elsa said evenly, as she came to join her sister on the bed.

"Oh. Right."

"Anna, please. I'm sorry for getting angry at you before.. but you _need _to tell me what is going on. I can't stand this.. this separation. I've become used to seeing you around and.. and now you're injured and I can't figure out why."

Anna didn't know why she was surprised. She should have guessed Elsa would miss her too. She knew that the isolation had been for her own safety, out of love. "I told you before. I always run into things, you know? 'Cause I'm clumsy. I probably just ran into something while I was out with Kristoff, I can't remember."

"If Kristoff is allowing you to be involved in dangerous situations, I don't think you should be spending as much time with him as you are-"

"Elsa, no! You can't ban me from hanging out with him, he's my best friend!"

"He's getting you hurt. I appreciate that you two are.. close, but I can't excuse him bringing you bodily harm."

"He didn't hurt me! It was my own fault. Are you even listening to me?"

"Of course I am, Anna. I just don't want to see you hurt by being in a relationship with that boy."

"Wait, what? In a relationship?"

"Yes, aren't you two.. dating?" The words were more difficult to say than Elsa was comfortable with.

"No! What? No! I told you, he's my _best friend_. I don't- no! I love him, but like.." _He's like family._ She couldn't bring herself to say those words. Far too ironic. Here she was, in love with her _blood sister_, and she couldn't love Kristoff because she saw him as a brother. ".. I just can't see him like that. I mean, I did, before. Love him, that is. Plus, the kissing was nice. Really nice, even! I just.. we decided to.. not. If that makes sense."

".. Oh." Elsa felt herself relax at that statement, shoulders drooping, relief flooding her system. She wasn't even surprised anymore, it was clear her body was more honest than her mind when it came to her feelings.

"Still. You need to be more careful."

"I'm always careful!"

"No, you most certainly are not. You constantly throw yourself into dangerous situations!"

"They turn out to be worth it."

"They could get you killed! They already got you killed once!" Elsa frowned at her own words, feeling tears brim in her eyes.

"Alright, that's not fair. I did that for you!"

"That doesn't make it any less foolish!"

"I did it because I love you! I always have!"

"But what if you had failed, Anna!? What if you have been cut or the ice hadn't thawed or your love hadn't been enough or... you shouldn't have done it! I still feel the guilt of hurting you, of watching you die because of me! It should have been me, not you!"

Anna frowned, letting out an angry, frustrated sound as she pounced on her sister, grabbing her wrists and pinning her to the bed. Legs on either side, straddling her waist, Anna stared down into the shocked blue eyes of her sister, both of them breathing unevenly. Their faces were flushed, one from anger and the other from confusion and embarrassment. The air was tinged with a hint of arousal. She leaned in close, the anger slowly faded from Anna's expression, leaving her with an almost heartbroken look. Suddenly, she let go of Elsa's wrists and stood, getting back up off the bed. Elsa was left with feelings of confusion and regret, shortly followed by burning shame. She had wanted so much to lean up and kiss her sister. She had wanted it too much.

"Don't ever say that again."

".. What? Anna-"

"Don't! The only thing I regret was us being separated for so long, nothing else, and you shouldn't either! It worked out, didn't it!? And my love.. my love will never not be enough!"

Turning sharply on her heel, Anna made her way to the door, wrenching it open and storming out. She felt sick to her stomach from anger and sorrow. Her poor sister was holding all this guilt inside her, and while she wanted to comfort her, now it just filled her with boiling rage. How could Elsa doubt her like that? No, no she wouldn't doubt her like that for much longer. Anna would prove her love, just like she had always intended to. Elsa stared after her sister in disbelief, staring down at her hands as the door slowly shut on its own. Why had she said that to Anna? She knew her sister loved her, and she let her own guilt and fear contort her words into paranoid lies. Inhaling sharply, she wound her arms around herself, the regret overwhelming.

Both sisters went to bed with heavy hearts that night.

* * *

After a night of restless sleep, Anna was eager to be up and awake the next morning, if only so she could stop remembering Elsa's hurt expression in her dreams. She would really have to apologize today, for both of their sakes. Sure, she didn't want Elsa to catch on to her, and she knew she still couldn't spend that much time around her, but she really should not have been as cruel as she was the other day. Just thinking about it made her shiver in self-loathing. Love really did make you crazy, if she was acting like this. She always tried to be so happy and optimistic, but the whole thing with Elsa, with falling in love with her was just so stressful. _It's amazing what stress can do to a person,_ she thought sadly, remembering her own actions as well as Elsa's fearful responses on the North Mountain. No wonder she had behaved the way she did.

Stepping out of her room when fully dressed, she almost collided with a figure that, though she didn't know it, had been standing there a long time with their fist raised. Gasping out, she quickly stepped back, saying a hurried apology before she realized who was out there.

_Elsa._ Oh, it was far too early for this..

Suddenly awkward, for a long moment, neither of them was sure what to do. Elsa stood there, surprised that Anna had come out so suddenly, so early in the day, and was now unsure of herself. The tense silence was suddenly broken with a whoosh of air released as an _'oof'_ as Anna suddenly clung tightly to her sister, letting out a sniffle.

"I'm sorry!"

"Anna.."

"I'm really sorry! I've just been busy with.. with something and it's been worrying me but I can't tell you what it is, so you just have to trust me, okay?"

Elsa gazed into Anna's tear-filled eyes, and she felt her heart fill with warmth. Smiling gently, she reached out, gently brushing away stray tears from her sister's cheeks. "Of course I trust you, and I know you love me as much as I do you. Can you forgive me for implying otherwise?"

Whimpering, Anna clung tightly to her sister, giving a nod against her chest instead of any sort of verbal response. With gentle cooed words and a hand on her back, Elsa tried to calm her suddenly distraught sister. While it did not bring her pleasure to see her sister upset, it did at least help to remind her that Anna really did love her. She never truly doubted such, but the sharp words and distance had not helped. This served to mend the wound left by the other night's issue, though she knew a scar would still be leftover from it. That didn't matter, though, what did matter, was that she had Anna, beautiful, sweet Anna, in her arms now.

Sniffling, Anna reluctantly pulled free of the embrace, sliding her arm across her eyes to wipe away the tears still lingering there. "So, um, there's going to be more tournament-things today, right?"

"Yes. Are you going to attend the viewing of the next rounds?"

"I-" Anna hesitated. It wasn't like Sir Andrew _had_ to be in the stands, did he? "I will."

Elsa beamed. ".. Thank you, Anna. I know it won't be particularly fun, but we'll be there together."

"Together," she agreed, then frown a little as she edged around towards the staircase. "I'll meet you there, alright! I need to go talk to Kristoff. I'll be careful, I just need to tell him no adventures for today! Promise!" Anna called back as she ran off, stumbling only slightly on the stairs as her sister watched with an affectionate smile.

Hand resting on the railing, Elsa slowly wrapped her arms around herself, fondly holding onto the memory of the embrace. She had almost forgotten how warm Anna's touch was. She sighed contentedly and slowly made her way down the grand staircase. She had not been particularly enjoying the tournament, but hopefully Anna's presence would change that. No, she knew Anna's presence could change that. Perhaps she was forgiving Anna too quickly, perhaps the two had gone from fighting to reconciliation too fast, but Elsa was not complaining. Even if they did fight again, this was proof that it could be fixed. They could fix it together, just like Anna had said time and time again.


	5. Chapter 5

Kristoff's cottage was warm and cozy, well-made and paid for from the castle's coffers, a debt Kristoff was told he could repay at his leisure. He had been resistant at first, but Anna had insisted it was the "Queen's orders!", and even when he went straight to Elsa herself, she agreed. So he was stuck, but he wasn't complaining. Not much, at least. It was perfect, it had a stable for Sven, and there was even a proper bathroom.

No, the only issue was that there was a slight infestation.. of Anna. The sprightly strawberry-blonde seemed to think that since the kingdom had provided him this home, that it was acceptable for her to just pop by whenever. Ah, well. At least it was better than bugs, even when she trundled in, tracking in snow before flopping across his bed or couch or sometimes right on top of Sven. This time, she came in and dragged another chair over, sitting across from him.

".. What is it now?" He gave a jokingly exasperated sigh, looking at the Princess with his hands resting on his knees.

"It's just so hard!" Anna suddenly exploded after a long moment of silence. She threw her arms wildly into the air before returning to her legs, clutching at the tops of her thighs.

"What is?"

"This plan, this sneaking around and lying!"

"It was your idea, not mine. Plus, you're doing this for Elsa, right?"

"Yeah, but it just doesn't seem like it's worth it sometimes.."

"Well, you said you're in love with her."

"Well, yeah."

"Why? I mean, what'd she do that I didn't?"

"Wow, guilt trip much?"

"I'm kidding. Mostly. Just tell me."

"I just.. do."

"Very descriptive."

"Shhh! I can't put into words how she makes me feel. It's just.. like I belong there. She makes me feel like I'm part of something, instead of all alone. Like my feelings mean something to her. That's why I sacrificed myself for her before.. because I knew that even after all that time apart, I loved her more than anyone."

".. That was so sappy it almost hurt. She's lucky. If you love her that much, then it's all worth it in the end. Probably."

"You're right!"

"I know, I'm kind of a genius."

"Well, even you have your moments."

"Ouch. Alright, I'm done with your little pep-talk, get out there and back to her."

Kristoff grinned roguishly as he gave Anna a supportive kick on the butt, the Princess having stood back up and turned around when she had proclaimed that Kristoff was correct for once. She yelped and, laughing, kicked out at him. Anna gasped in shock when noticed she had actually managed to kick his chair over; next came a gasp of pain because lifting the leg on her injured side, amazingly, made her side hurt again. Both friends held onto various parts of their bodies that were in pain, staying like that for a moment until they burst out into laughter. Anna coughed as pain flared up her side. She wandered over to the surly ice-man and helped him back to his feet, ruffling his hair down into his eyes before he got all the way up. With a cheerful call of "Thanks, Kristoff!", she was gone again. The Icemaster sighed, hand resting on the chair, a half-hearted smile on his face.

* * *

By the time Anna had returned, much of the preparations were complete. The non-competing Princes sat in the stands, all except for one, and the two competing ones were getting their armor checked one last time before stepping out onto the field. Gasping for breath—having run the whole way here—Anna staggered to a stop at the edge of the training field, earning her bewildered and amused looks from the people in the stands. At least she knew where she was going, as she had seen the Queen's box the other day. She just needed.. a second.. to catch her breath.. whew! You don't really know how distant two points are from each other until you run full-pelt between the two. Anna clutched tightly at her injured side, slowing down to a walk. No more sprinting for her today, thanks.

Approaching the Queen's box, the door was opened for her by a nearby guard. She was surprised to find the gesture.. surprising. God, she was starting to get Andrew and Anna mixed up a lot. Have to keep that straight. It was hard not to look too awkward as she quickly entered the box, tapping her way up the stairs and—out of habit—knocking three times on the little door that led out onto the balcony. Getting a soft chuckle as a response, the door was opened for her, revealing Elsa standing on the other side.

She looked beautiful. Though she had taken to wearing her more regal attire once again, her hair stayed down in a single braid, swept back and almost wild. Anna had no idea how she got her hair to do that, but she certainly wasn't complaining.

"I'm glad you're here," Elsa finally said, her eyes lifting to meet Anna's own.

Taken aback by the sincerity and emotion encapsulated within, Anna surged forward and grabbed her sibling in a tight hug. "Wouldn't miss it. .. Except for the couple of times I did. But not this time, I promised!"

Her sister's giggle rang in her ears, and Anna peered over her shoulder at the box. The most striking thing was that the two separate chairs that had been placed there before were now replaced by one seat. Anna recognized it as the ornate couch from the sitting room. The sight made her heart swell. Ever after she was a huge butt, Elsa still believed in her; believed she would come, and Anna found herself thankful she had changed her plans. Letting her sister down now would have probably broken both of their hearts, Sir Andrew could fall by the wayside this time.

Though she was loath to, she stepped out of the embrace, Anna smiling as she plopped down on the red velvet cushion of the couch, patting the one next to her eagerly. Elsa's hand rested on the gilded golden support for a moment before she out another breathy laugh and stepped around again. People don't really change. Here was her dear sister, bouncing on the cushions and calling for her like an eager child.

And instantly regretting the bouncing, if her grimace was any proof.

No, even after all the pain and miscommunication of the past few months, she hadn't changed. The queen delicately sat down and looked to Anna, seated to her right. Her right hand. Yes, this is how it was meant to be. She would be happy, ecstatic, if things stayed like this. A warm hand laid over her own, and she knew she was partially lying to herself. She wanted to touch her, hold her close.. kiss her. Greedy as it was, she wanted more. For now though, she was content. She could conquer those odd feelings that swirled in her gut and warmed her cheeks, she'd have to.

Quickly, the Queen turned her attention to the training ground. She met the gaze of the fight marshal and inclined her head to him. He responded with a nod of his own, recognizing it as his signal to begin. He sauntered forward, extending his hands out to his sides and inhaling deeply. For a moment, he faltered. A thought had crossed his mind: his Queen had been smiling. It was a welcome sight, after her stormy mood the past few days. It must be due to the fact that the Princess was there now. Everyone knew the sisters were close. Cracking a smile of his own, he had to wipe it off quickly as he started again.

"The first bout for today will be between Prince Ken of the Land of the Sun, and Prince Edward of Tevania!"

Anna hopped up in her excitement, peering out of the box down at the competitors as they moved onto the field. She couldn't fight today, but this was still a chance to learn about future competition. Hey, she had some smart ideas sometimes too. Both of the princes were average in size, with the Prince of Tevania standing a few inches taller than Prince Ken. Anna found that she recognized both of them. Prince Ken was the only other competitor to really talk to her, and that was during the introductions. Prince Edward had been the last one called, and had eyed her with a look of barely-held interest and disdain. He was a jerk, and now he was making eye contact. Edward was staring up at Anna, brow arched beneath his helmet. Anna stuck her tongue out at him, the picture of sophisticated grace.

Elsa looked on in amusement at her sister's apparent enthusiasm. She'd thought Anna had little to no interest in all this nonsense, yet here she was, making faces at the competitors and standing up to get a better look, eager despite her injury. That thought made her frown. How had Anna even gotten hurt? She didn't want to tell her, though she had said she ran into something. Elsa wanted to believe that was all there was to it, but it felt.. _off_. Her eyes trailed up her sister's form, and she was surprised to see how toned her arms were in that short-sleeved dress. Certainly, they were not particularly masculine or bulky, but there was a surprisingly amount of muscle there for a Princess. _It must have been all of that sword-fighting practice,_ she mused. Anna had been surprisingly diligent in those particular studies, something she found quite strange.

Then there was the fact that she cut her hair. For a normally open and bubbly girl, there was an unusual veil of mystery around her sister lately. Dueling, cut hair, and injuries. It was all very convenient- her train of thought was cut off as Anna let out a loud cheer along with the crowd. The fighting had begun. Anna was practically leaning out of the box to get a good view, and Elsa stood up as well, moving alongside her to watch. Perhaps she would be more interested in all this if she gave it a chance like Anna was. Her gaze drew outwards to the stands where the Princes sat, idly noticing that there seemed to be less than there were before. Not that she was complaining, it was just a bit odd, considering all of them had either had a passion for swordplay or a passion for her, as uncomfortable as that thought made her.

She was drawn out of her thoughts as cheers erupted from the stands, drawing her attention to the two fighters in the middle. They had begun, and were slowly circling one another, weapons drawn, shields up. Glancing over to her sibling, she noted that Anna's eyes widened in surprise. Surprise? Why was she surprised? It was standard to fight with both a sword and a shield, though some of the competitors preferred to fight with larger two-handed swords, and some, one in particular that she remembered, lacked a shield at all despite using a one-handed sword. Brushing it off, Elsa turned her attention back to the fight, standing close to Anna's side.

_You can use shields!? _A distressed little voice went off in Anna's head. No, you think? It's a sword fighting competition; of course you can use shields. _You just took it too literally again, as usual, _she mentally reprimanded herself, letting out a sigh. She supposed it was too late to worry about it now, and it wasn't as if she had practiced a lot with the use of a shield. Just a sword, like an idiot. Well, it had worked for her last time, hadn't it? She was stronger than she used to be, but carrying armor and a shield and a sword might be a little much. It was probably fine, she'd just have to learn to get around shields, and hopefully this battle would help her do just that.

With a yell, Prince Edward was the first to strike, sending her shield crashing into Ken's before delivering a painful blow between the shoulder and neck. The hit was jarring, but not a foul and Edward smirked under his helm as Ken staggered backwards, waves of pain running down his sword-arm. Then he gave a laugh, chuckling enthusiastically, enough to make Edward give a pause and look strangely at the man. He'd let his guard down, and Ken took full advantage of that, surging forward and hitting him hard in the side. The Tevanian Prince grunted before giving a furious yell, buffeting Ken with his shield in retaliation. A shriek of metal on metal rang out across the yard as Ken barely brought his shield up in time to block another blow.

Forcing Edward's weapon away with an outward thrust of his shield, he tried to go for another blow, only to find that the Prince had sidestepped out of the way, his blade slashing through nothing but open air. The next moment, he was on his face, as his opponent's blade slammed into his back, sending him sprawling and spitting as he tasted dirt in his mouth. Edward smirked and slowly stepped back, allowing Ken to get back up to his feet, keeping his sword level and trained on his opponent. His pride and back wounded, Prince Ken turned to face his opponent again, gripping the hilt of his blade tightly.

"Not bad! Still, you need a touch more practice before you can truly stand tow-to-toe with a Tevanian swordsman," Edward taunted, beginning to circle his opponent once more.

"Haha! Fair enough, fair enough. If I was a proper swordsman though, I wouldn't be having so much issue! We're hardly done though, yes? Let us continue, the banter is over!"

As the fight carried on, Anna found herself losing interest in it. Now, she was watching her sister out of the corner of her eye.

She was always so poised and regal. Even when she let herself loose and used her powers, she still had this air about her that gave off a feeling of perfection. Half of the time, Anna couldn't believe that she was the same sister she knew when she was little, running around the halls with her, giggling and playing. Other times, that fact was startlingly apparent, when she laughed or threw a snowball in her face. She was like a familiar stranger. She knew her, but at the same time she wondered, did she really? She had learned much about her since they reunited; the way she scrunched her nose when she was reading a difficult book, the fact that she snored a little but denied it, how she would stay up to finish her work so she could spend time with Anna the next day.

She had learned much, but it never felt like enough. She wasn't sure what more she wanted to learn just.. more. Everything would be a good start. At least, everything that she hadn't had the chance to because Elsa was trying to protect her. Even without knowing everything though, Anna knew enough to know that she loved her, was _in love_ with her. In love with the strong, beautiful woman her older sister had become. So caught up in her, in fact, that Anna didn't realize she was staring until Elsa's eyes suddenly met her own. A delicate brow arched in confusion, a smile quirking up the corner of the queen's lips. _Those perfect lips._

".. Anna? Are you alright?

Anna flushed, caught in her mostly-innocent act. "I'm fine! You're fine. I mean, what? Are you alright? 'Cause I'm alright. Great, actually."

Elsa gave a small chuckle, her own face a little pink, obvious against her pale skin. "That's good. You just seem to be losing interest in the fight."

"What? Oh, I love watching the fighting! I just like watching you more-" Shoot, shoot. "I mean, I like looking at you, 'cause.. you know.. you're back and.. I know it's been a few months but I just, am happy you're here."

Silence reigned now, as Elsa seemed content to merely beam in response to her sister's words, her face only deepening in color. Anna let out a contented little sigh, eyes squinted slightly with a wide smile on her face. Then suddenly, the mood was broken as cheers erupted from down below. Their eyes snapped sharply back towards the field, the pair of sisters took in the sight of Prince Ken on his back, hand up in a yielding signal, his blade on the ground a few feet from him. Prince Edward stood above him, sword pointed down towards him, but relaxed at the sight of the yield, slowly putting his sword away, before reaching out to take Ken's hand, assisting him to get back on his feet.

"With eight points to four, Prince Edward of Tevania is the winner of this bout!"

The marshal's voice rang out, causing more cheers to fill the air. The pair of princes removed their helmets, and Prince Ken gave a hearty laugh, smacking Edward on the back and saying something before being escorted, limping, off of the grounds. Anna noticed, a chill running down her spine, that Prince Edward was staring at her again. With his helmet off, his dark eyes only served to make her feel more uneasy, but she wasn't sure _why_. Maybe it was because of the rumors surrounding Tevania's line of succession. Yes, Anna had actually done a bit of research into the other Princes she knew would be coming. Tevania's royal family was not known for being docile, and there were often rumors surrounding the deaths of the royal family. At the end of the day though, it was all just rumors, right? Edward seemed like a bit of an uppity prick, pardon the language, but Anna didn't see anything else really wrong with them. Then again, her ability to read people had been called in question since Hans.

Anna stared back at him until he broke eye contact, going to head back into his tent. Elsa had not missed the exchange. Anna had almost looked tense and was staring, longingly?, at the Prince. She certainly seemed quite interested in him, whatever the circumstances were. Frowning slightly, she turned away from the competition, touching Anna's shoulder to urge her to come along. Anna looked at her sister, and gave her what she hoped was a disarming smile, before following her outside of the box. The next bout wasn't for a couple of hours or so. She'd take this time to eat and, perhaps, give Anna's strange behavior some thought.

* * *

The other day had gone by too fast, and now Anna was back to avoiding her sister once again. A day of watching fights and politely eating lunch together hardly filled up the gaping hole left by avoiding her elder sibling for so long. She had discovered that she was slowly starting to dislike her male persona. Just like all of the suitors here, he was standing between her and Elsa.. except he was also helping. Since, you know, he was her. His presence would make it worth it in the end. Wait, no, this wasn't the time for spacing out again. She was slapped, literally, back into reality by a rough hand patting her metal-covered back.

"You ready?" A face leaned down into her vision, Kristoff grinning at her, bringing a smile to her lips.

"I was born ready!" She asserted.

"No, you were born in a castle. You were born for pretty much the opposite of fighting."

"Well then, fighting Princes should be easy, since they're the same way!"

"Watch that ego." Kristoff playfully reprimanded her as he put the girl's helmet on her. "And be sure you use your deep voice if you get hit. Can't have you screaming like a girl again. Also, you're gonna miss your signal. Again."

"Ha-ha. Really funny, you-"

"Prince Andrew of Northwood!"

The loud announcement made Anna jump, and she quickly ran towards the flap of her tent, then paused to relax a little. Sufficiently calmed, she stepped out the tent, one hand on the hilt of her sword, the other resting at her side as she strode out towards the field with a little more decorum than she had the time before. Unfortunately, her swagger reminded her harshly of the bruise still very there on her side and head, her armor and helmet pressing painfully against them with every slightly exaggerated them. No more swaggering, this is why it made men look silly. She walked the rest of the way normally, her opponent already standing across from her, staring her down. Now was the time for action. Exhaling slowly, she didn't glance around this time, clearing her mind, a look of determination setting on her hidden features.

"Begin!"

Instead of charging, her opponent this time seemed more level-headed, and the two of them began circling one another, moving steadily close with each stop. Swords drawn, her opponent also had a shield. How ironic. She gripped the hilt of her blade tightly, slowly drawing it free as they came closer until suddenly, she struck! She swung out at him, and the Prince brought his shield up and swung out in retaliation. Nimble on her feet despite her armor, she sidestepped the blow, and then struck again at his side left exposed by his thrust. Metal met metal, and Anna grinned triumphantly beneath her helmet, before she was suddenly buffeted back by a shield to the face.

Before she could fully regain her senses, she was struck again, crying out in anguish as her foe's blade slammed into her injured side. Reeling from the pain, she was just barely able to sidestep another blow, feeling herself getting angry as she lashed back out, managing to hit the Prince across his stupid head before he could get his shield back up. He staggered back from the surprisingly strong blow—who knew the little Prince could hit that hard?—and the Prince tried to strike back again, only to find that the nimble Princess had moved to strike at his side once more. Confidence surging through her, Anna gave a little laugh. Maybe swordplay was the one thing she could really do right?

Then, out of retaliation, she was struck one more, this time on the arm, hard enough to make her yelp and drop her sword, hand unclenching then clenching once more, pain lancing up the limb. Anna quickly scrambled to get her sword back as her less-honorable opponent swung out at her again, hitting her leg and making her fall near her weapon. Barely nabbing it in time to block another hit, she rolled out of the way and painfully got back to her feet, breathing hard. Alright, nope, swordplay was also really, really hard. She hefted her blade again, defending against a sudden flurry of blows, her enemy having removed his shield to switch to a quicker, two-handed assault.

Both hands gripped the hilt as she did her best to defend herself, but found herself being driven back, the air roaring with both boos and applause. Anna herself to glance about, and she took in the sight of Elsa, looking down at her with a mixture of pity and.. worry? Had she figured it out, or did she simply feel sympathy for the tiny Prince? It had to be the latter, but still, it helped Anna push past the pain, even if it was only momentary. She focused again, managing a little jump to get out of the way. 'Andrew' gave a deep, throaty yell and circled around him with a step, slamming her blade against his back, nearly dropping her weapon again as pain wracked through her arms. She felt herself start to slip to her knees, her opponent getting up from his prone position as suddenly, mercifully, the fight marshal gave a shout.

"The battle is over! With seven points to six, the winner of this bout is Prince Andrew of Northwood!"

Relief flooded through her, and Anna dropped to her knees. The adrenaline was wearing off, and her whole body felt like one, huge bruise. Was her arm broken? Did she crack a rib? She had no idea. All she could register was pain, groaning as a pair of strong arm lifted her up. Through her visor, she saw Kristoff, his face contorted with worry as she helped her off the field and back into her tent. So many things should have been running through her mind, joy about winning another bout, worry about how much Elsa knew, but all she could feel was relief; relief that, this time, she had managed not to black out.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** I apologize for the tardiness of this chapter! School takes a toll on the ol' muse. I want to once again thank my wonderful beta, John, and I want to thank all of you beautiful people reviewing, following, and favoriteing. Don't change. I hope you enjoy the M-rating. ;D

* * *

Anna awoke the next day in utter agony. Alright, maybe that was a bit excessive, but she certainly wasn't comfortable. Rolling over onto her side had only made it worse, and she groaned out, flopping back onto her back. Her hands clutched at her side, she tried to lie still until the thudding pain stopped, and was able to gasp in a few breaths. Maybe one of the blows had actually cracked a rib? She had no idea. She had been hit twice in the same area, so that was a distinct possibility; a possibility that she didn't really have time to worry about because she had another fight today. Maybe if she just stayed perfectly still, she would heal enough by late this afternoon to be perfectly okay.

"Haha, fat chance," she said softly into the empty room. "Augh, it feels like Sven did a tap-dance on my ribs."

She'd just have to power through it. Yep. This would be fine. Just.. shift a little over towards the edge of the bed and get up. Easy peasy. She inhaled gently and started to do just that, but she was stopped by a throbbing in her head, as if her body was reminding her that she had also been hit there. _Haha! This whole plan was a terrible idea in the first place, and now I'm going to make you suffer for it! _And suffer she was going to, for when she let out a whimper and went to grab her head, she realized—too late—that she was basically on the edge of the bed. With a graceless, painful flop, Anna fell right off her bed and onto the floor and cried out at the unpleasant sensation.

She'd thought she'd be fine today. Climbing up the roof had been easy, she'd barely hurt at all! Sure there was some tenderness from being hit, but when she had gone to scale the castle once more, it had only been a mild inconvenience. Clearly, the bruise had just needed to set, like a cake freshly taken out of the oven. The only exception was that this was a cake of _pain_. A pound cake, maybe? Anna laughed at her own joke, then immediately regretted it as pain erupted in her side and midsection. _Bad idea, bad idea. Just stay calm and get up like a normal person. You can do this. You were born ready to do this. Standing. You were born to stand!_

The Princess struggled and tried to force herself up again, giving herself a mental pep talk the whole time. Trying to force herself up on her arm wouldn't work, since that was hurt too. Rolling around didn't work because, you guessed it, pain. As her mental pep talk slowly died down, she ended up just sort of lying on her face in a mass of sheets and her comforter, which had fallen down upon her by this time. Anna gave up, resolving that she was just gonna lay here awhile. At least until someone found her and forced her to get up.

She couldn't help but ponder her current situation as she lay there, slightly curled over against herself in pain. A few months ago, she would have never imagined this is where she would be now. A few months ago, she had all but completely given up on Elsa. A few months ago, she was certain that Elsa wanted nothing to do with her and Anna had stopped wanting to have anything to do with her in turn. She had reached out, and Elsa had pushed her away, just like she did when they were kids. Thrown out of her ice castle, chased down a mountain, Anna had found herself unable to put any more faith in Elsa. Their bond had been broken, weakened by time and isolation. It wasn't until Elsa had nearly been killed that Anna had remembered how much she loved her, how much Elsa meant to her, and in that moment she was willing to die for her.

Now, here she was, fighting, literally fighting, to strengthen and deepen that bond. She never wanted it to break again. That's what made all of this worth it. Smiling, she huddled up a bit more, simply thinking about everything that had happened up to this point, and trying to ignore the throbbing pain in her side. Time did funny things to people.

* * *

Sleep had been elusive for the young Queen of Arendelle. So many thoughts were running through her head, all revolving around one, very important, facet of her life. _Anna. _For once, they were not about her own thoughts and feelings towards her darling little sister. No, these past months had been perfectly capable of showing her that the feelings she had developed for her sister during her years of isolation had become anything _but_ sisterly. Her thoughts were focused on her sister's feelings, her intentions. A plan had been forming in the Queen's mind, a plan based on well-supported theories.

Her first thought had been that Anna had feelings for the young Prince Edward. He was handsome, yes, but unpleasant in attitude. At least that's where she knew he differed from Hans; Hans had hid his cruel plots, while this man allowed his less-than-pleasant side to be seen. He was more a pompous jerk rather than one looking to overthrow her kingdom, which was comforting in two ways. One, she knew he would not purposefully try to kill either of them, as he was already perfectly content being first in line for his own throne. Two, she knew Anna would never be interested in someone who treated people as disdainfully as he did.

Thus, her originally theory had been shot, leaving only the second, much more plausible, one. Elsa brought her hand to her forehead as she lounged in a chair, snow fluttering around her as she was hit by a sudden flash of worry, of a desire for her to be wrong. What she was doing, if she was correct, was just so _dangerous_. Elsa had no idea why Anna would even be doing it in the first place. She ran her fingers through her hair, letting out a groan. She'd have to talk to Anna about this, about everything. She had to see if she was right; but she also needed to explain her own feelings about.. _all this_. Elsa's cheeks flushed. _Maybe not all of it_. She feel quite confident enough to spill everything yet.. if she ever would.

Sighing heavily, she went to stand, pacing across the length of her room as she wrung her hands. Would she be upset? Would she get angry like she had before when she confronted her about her bruises? Probably. Anna's temper had been odd recently, the normally carefree and optimistic girl slightly changed by.. something. Something was eating at her, but Anna had told her that people don't really change though, right? She had learned that from the Trolls, and that had made her able to finally, truly understand Elsa. It's what had helped save her after Elsa's horrible mistake.

Elsa couldn't let her mind linger on this too longer, she had to act. Hesitating would allow doubts, so many doubts, to form in her mind and paralyze her completely. That's what had happened when she was locked in her room all those years. Doubts about her ability to keep her powers in check. Doubts that Anna would still love her after so many years of forced isolation. She had to overcome them. After all these years, and more recently these months, of separation and anxiety, she had to be straightforward with her sister; and she had to get answers of her own. Perhaps she didn't deserve it, she certainly didn't feel like she did, but Anna had said no closed doors. No secrets, on either side.

Steeling herself, Elsa opened her door and started down the hall, making her way to her sister's room. Alright, she could do this. Just.. just _do_ it. There wasn't really an easy or subtle way to bring any of this up, so the plan was to wing it, she supposed. Winging it was never really her strong suit, that was Anna's thing. The only time Elsa ever 'winged it' was when she had to flee from her castle and that had been based purely on fear and panic. This was not a time for either of those things. One final, measured breath, and then she rapped her knuckles on the door.

_Knockknockknock._

"Anna? I'm coming in. I need to talk to you."

* * *

_I'm doomed. _The thought flashed through Anna's mind as she heard her sister's voice, then the slow creak of her door opening. Maybe if she just stayed perfectly still and tried not to breathe, Elsa would think she'd gotten up already and leave. Playing dead worked on bears and stuff, right? Not that Elsa was a bear but.. maybe, for some reason, her tracking sense was like a bear's. Nope, that didn't make any sense at all. It was also increasingly futile, as she heard her sister moving closer to the bed, softly calling her name, voice laced with confusion and worry. _And now you're making her worry. Good job._ Anna groaned in response to her own thoughts, which instantly alerted her prowling older sister to her location.

"Anna!"

Elsa had rounded Anna's bed swiftly when she heard the groan, hands raised like she was expecting there is be an attacker. In her defense, he sister's sheets were disheveled like she had been dragged off, plus she was nowhere to be seen, plus her sister had very manly groans in the morning. The Queen's posture relaxed when she saw it was Anna, her expression shifting from hostile to confused as she approached, being careful not to get her foot caught in the dangerous mass of bedding. Crouching, she reached out towards Anna, expecting her to take her hand so she could be extracted from this mess.

"Why are you on the floor? Are you alright?"

"Who? Me? Oh, yeah! I'm great! Just enjoying the feel of rug and hardwood on my back."

Elsa couldn't help the laughter that bubbled up in her throat, coming out as a giggle. Her hand hovered in front of her mouth as she stood back up. Her sister was clearly fine if she was able to snark, correct? Hopefully a good mood would help this all go smoother. She was even laughing now, amused at her own expense. Then she flinched and stopped, and Elsa looked back down at her sharply, her amusement fading. Anna starred back up at her, looking nervous now, mouth opening then closing in response to the scrutinizing look Elsa was now giving her. Her eyes darted about the room.

"Your bruise is still bothering you. Let me see."

"What? No! No, no it's fiiiine. I'm good. Great, actually."

Elsa did not like that answer, and made her opinion very clear when she simply began to push up Anna's nightshirt, the younger girl too stunned to react before Elsa was able to push it up to just under her breasts. What she saw made her gasp, but it also strengthened her resolve. Her bruise had gotten worse. Hit again in the same spot, the right side. Still taking advantage of her sister's shocked state, she pushed up an arm of the gown, to find them littered with bruises as well. Her hands then traveled to Anna's head, touching tender spots where she knew a blade had met Prince Andrew's helm. Anna flinched and whined in response, and it seemed to force her out of her stupor. Embarrassed and a little angry, she went to shove Elsa off of her.

"Stop!"

"_I knew it_."

".. What?"

"Anna, do you know why this tournament is going on?"

Anna felt like she was experiencing whiplash of the mood. She'd thought this conversation was going to go down a completely different and very worrying road. Instead, now Elsa was grilling her about the tournament. Well, she had thought she was going to do that, but more about her involvement in it, not if she knew what Elsa why letting this stupid show even be a thing. As she said, it was stupid, and her sister was smart. She had to have a good explanation. Carefully, slowly, pushing herself up to a sitting position, Anna let out a tiny whimper that made Elsa spring into action. Well, more gently lean into action. She carefully helped Anna to sit up on the bed, but remained standing herself. Pacing had become a habit while she was alone in her room, and she preferred to have the ability to do so when having a serious discussion.

"Nope, but I bet you're gonna tell me! Or, I hope you are. Aren't you?"

"Yes, Anna. I am. Be a little patient while I collect my thoughts."

"Did you drop them?"

Elsa shot Anna a look coupled with a wry smile that quickly faded away. "Shh. I'm being serious, Anna."

Anna shrunk back a little bit, rubbing at her side. The smile had given her the slightest bit of hope that this wouldn't be too bad, but that hope was extinguished when it disappeared. Whatever Elsa wanted to talk about, Anna could feel that it wouldn't be comfortable, or pleasant, or easy.

In fact, she could almost _feel_ that it was going to be the exact opposite of all of those things. Even so, she remained quiet, letting her sister prepare herself before she began to dig into her. She hadn't even started, and Anna already wanted it to be over. Her lower lip was taken in between her teeth as she watched, watching her sister start to move smoothly back and forth in front of her.

"I'm doing it because I have to, not because I want to. You know that much."

"Why do you _have_ to? You're the Queen!"

"As the Queen, there are things... expected of me. Things papa- our father tried to prepare me for. This includes getting married and having an heir-"

"It's still dumb."

"Don't you think I feel the same way?" Elsa rounded on her sister, her voice taking on a tone of desperation. "I don't have any interest in them, these Princes. I don't have any.. any interest in.." Her voice trailed off, before she started again. ".. in men. That's why this is so hard."

"Oh?" Confusion. "Oh!" Realization. "Oooohh.." Relief? Anna blinked rapidly as it hit her, and she almost seemed to relax more with this newfound knowledge. "Well, that's good!"

Now it was Elsa's turn to be confused. ".. Good?"

"Uh! Um. I mean. It isn't _bad_, right?"

"It is bad, Anna. .. But it's also unimportant."

"But they're your feelings!"

"And they don't matter."

"Yes, they do! Feelings always matter. Love matters! It's stupid that you have to go through with this-"

"Is that why you're doing it?"

".. Wait, what?"

"Fighting in the tournament, 'Prince Andrew'. Is that why you're doing it, because you think this whole thing is stupid?"

Anna was awestruck, dumbfounded, all of those words that mean that she was rendered speechless. Her sister knew. Panic rose up inside her, burning her throat like bile. She wanted to retch, to flee, to burst into an unsupported barely-convincing explanation for her actions; but she couldn't. She was trapped, rooted to be bed by her sister's gaze. Her silence seemed to answer something for Elsa, as she sighed and broke eye contact, starting to pace again, a distance put between them so that her shoulder was nearly grazing the wall with each turn. Anna's mouth worked up and down silently like a fish, and Elsa carried on.

"I don't know what possessed you to come up with this.. plan of yours, but it's dangerous, it's foolish.. and I'm worried."

"I know what I'm doing-" Anna had found her voice again, only to be swiftly rebuffed by Elsa.

"No, you don't. You keep getting injured, and for what? Because you disagree with me? Petty jealousy? My feelings, _our_ feelings don't matter in this Anna-"

This time, Elsa found herself the one cut off, not by speech, but by action. Anna had stood, face beet red, as Elsa had started to try and divulge her reasoning. She was wrong. All of it was wrong, and that's what made Anna so angry. Moving on instinct, Anna had surged forward and ended up trapping the other woman against the wall, hands grasping forearms, locking the limbs to either side of her. The temperature swiftly dropped as Elsa was filled with confusion and worried, icy blue eyes meeting near-teal ones, lit by a righteous fury. For the first time, Elsa could feel, _really feel_, Anna's newfound strength as her own drained away with the close proximity.

"They _do_ matter, Elsa. They've always mattered. They saved you, saved _us_.."

"Anna-"

"And my jealousy isn't petty. I don't just want them to leave.. I want.."

Simply explaining it wouldn't work. She'd have to show her. So she did. Taking advantage of her dominate position, she slowly titled her head to the side, eyes not leaving Elsa's. Elsa's breathing had picked up now. Leaning in, she brought her lips near Elsa's, jolting forward at the last minute. The kiss was awkward and forceful and their teeth clicked painfully together but Anna didn't seem to care and, judging by the hands now slowly moving down Anna's sides, Elsa didn't either. Slowly, Anna pulled away and their eyes met.

All was silent except for their heavy breathing, gazes locked and faces red. Anna slowly released Elsa's arms, the tension in the room palpable. Then, three months' worth of strange feelings and thirteen years of separation suddenly exploded into action, Elsa and Anna gripping at each other almost in unison.

Their lips reconnected, more cautiously this time but not without the same passion, the same desperation, as before. Elsa was reciprocating and Anna found herself loving her, her eager nature visible in the way it almost looked like she were trying to devour Elsa's face. Her hands moved shakily down Elsa's side before she found purchase in the curves of her hips, drawing Elsa closer in the same motion. The deep kiss turned into swift, rapid pecks, trailing from the corner of Elsa's mouth down her jawline, becoming slower and lingering longer the further she moved down Elsa's neck. Moving on instinct, the kisses turned hot and open-mouthed, teeth and tongue grazing across her sibling's pale flesh.

Elsa had lost track of all thought by now. Head tilted up and to the side, she exposed her neck to more of Anna's clumsy but pleasurable ministrations, a breathy whimper escaping her lips. It was hot, hotter than she thought she would ever be capable of feeling. It was like somewhat had lit a flame in her gut, perhaps slightly lower, and it was threatening to consume her. It hurt, but it just felt _so good_. She felt lips and teeth latch to her shoulder, and she found herself thankful she had not decided to wear a high-collared dress today. Pleasure mixed with pain lanced up from where Anna bit down, then soothed the mark with a hot tongue. Elsa gasped again, a hand sliding up Anna's back to grasp her cropped hair, the other hand resting against the wall.

Bodies pressed flush against each other, the firm press of her back against a wall the only thing keeping Elsa rooted in reality. Eager to feel more, a hand slid up the front of Elsa's stomach, while the other moved in tantalizing patterns down the monarch's spine until it ended up grasping a nice handful of Elsa's rear. The foreign, intimate touch made Elsa yelp and shiver, hips involuntarily rolling forward against Anna's. The impossible had happened; it had gotten hotter. She felt like she was melting, her legs shaking as Anna's hand repeated the grasping motion with Elsa's breast, kneading the pliable flesh under pining fingers. The rustle of cloth, pants and moans filled the air, mostly soft, mostly restrained, the two of them experimenting with touch and taste.

Abruptly filled with a desperate need, an urge borne from simple want and far too many romance novels, Anna forced Elsa closer while pressing a knee up, grinding it against Elsa's center. It was like she'd been struck by a thunderbolt, a shiver racing up her spine and causing Elsa's back to arch as she cried out. Elsa slid down the wall slightly, struggling to keep upright as Anna began moving herself against Elsa's bent leg. Her arms now needed to anchor Elsa to her and keep herself propped up against the wall, Anna had found herself relying more and more on her mouth. There wasn't _time_ to remove clothing, so Anna simply began dragging her tongue across Elsa's collarbone once more.

Bracing herself, Anna used one shaking hand to simply pull down the front of Elsa's dress until more skin was exposed, leaving the top of her dress awkwardly slid down her arms with her bra-covered breasts exposed. Sticking out her tongue, she brushed it over a covered nipple, wetting the fabric, the peak hardening as Elsa shuddered. Bracing herself had had the added effect of pressing her knee harder against Elsa, which in turn made the elder sibling start to rock her hips against Anna's leg, sending delicious wave of pleasure through both of their bodies. Wanting to feel more, _needing_ to feel more, Anna got the bra cup out of the way, and instead brushed her tongue across heated flesh.

Grazing her teeth and tongue across the flesh of Elsa's breast, she stopped when her mouth hovered above the peak, before taking it into her mouth. Like an infant with a nipple, she suckled on the tender bud, making Elsa jump and moan in response, body covered with a thin sheen of sweat. Pearly teeth flashed a moment before Anna gently bit down, shifting her prize around between her teeth. The wonderful noises Elsa made reassured her that she was doing something right, and that reading romance novels was not simply for the bored or the desperate. Practical application was always an important facet for any book to have.

The wonderful torture continued as Anna switched her attention to the other breast, Elsa's hand clenched painfully in her reddish hair. She didn't seem to mind it, though. If anything, it egged her on. Love bites began to be marked against the tender flesh of Elsa's breast, Anna's mouth moving back up as her bodies shifted, hips jerking against Elsa's leg while Elsa did the same, both of them desperate for that friction that sent waves up their body and made the muscles in their pelvis and stomach clench. Every cry, soft or loud, that her lover made spurred Anna to greater heights, hands roaming over her body as the two slide further down the wall, their own need for contact and their combined willpower the only things keeping them from collapsing into a help. Head tilted back, Elsa cried out, a name ringing in the air.

"Anna-!"

Just like that, everything stopped. Movement, breathing, it all stopped as realization sunk in. Anna. Her sister. Her little sister. Elsa. Her elder sister. Siblings, they're siblings and here they are, tangled in the heated embrace meant for lovers, meant, traditionally, for a man and a woman of different families. Anna swallowed hard as she slowly pulled back, extracting herself from the desperate hold. Still dressed in her nightgown, the slightly predatory young woman was replaced by a scared little girl, lifting her eyes to stare in wide-eyed shock at her sibling before her gaze went downcast. Elsa slid down the wall, body trembling in shock as the once scalding temperature of the room fell rapidly.

".. Anna."

She bolted. Turning on her heel, Anna ran from the room like she was being chased by a monster, running down the halls and swiftly disappearing into the nearby bathroom, where she sunk to the floor against the wall. Elsa was left in the room, Anna's room, alone. Flakes of snow filled the air above her, dropping in out of nowhere to create small piles near her as Elsa pulled her legs up to her chest; a familiar position. She did not cry. She wasn't even upset, at least not in a way that she yet felt. She was confused, aroused, distressed and.. happy. Her feelings were reciprocated, eagerly. Yet, in her joy, why did she feel like more things had been broken than were fixed?


End file.
